sledding
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of sledding
Explanation
Want to go sledding? Just jump on a sled and zip down a snowy hill! Whee! Sledding down a hill is fun, but dragging the sled back up is way less fun. In some parts of the world, people call this sport "sledging" or "tobogganing." While sledding is generally seen as more of a pastime than an actual sport, it's also the basis of Olympic sports like luge and bobsledding. Add some dogs and you have dog sledding. Sledding comes from the verb sled, which meant "transport or travel by sled" before it meant "ride on a sled."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And after some tough early sledding, it has grown into one of the top 10 leagues in the world, with five teams valued by Forbes at more than $1 billion.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
While winning that case would be uphill sledding, the report may have ultimately been a useful development for him.
From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026
Another side features a curving surface descending from the apex for winter sledding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
History suggests it will be tough sledding if tech keeps faltering.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
After sledding the James Caird across to the larger piece of floe, the men jumped to safety with the rest of the crew.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.