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Synonyms

sled

American

[sled] / slɛd /

noun

a small vehicle consisting of a platform mounted on runners for use in traveling over snow or ice.
a sledge.

verb (used without object)

to coast, ride, or be carried on a sled.

verb (used with object)

to convey by sled.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

sledlike

adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

sleds

plural

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of sled

1350–1400; Middle English sledde < Middle Dutch; akin to German Schlitten sled, sleigh; cf. slide

Explanation

If you want to slide down a snowy hill, hop on a sled! A sled can be simple and plastic, or it can be more complicated, with wood and metal runners, like the kind that huskies pull across the tundra. Mush! Sleds sit on runners made to glide over an icy or snowy surface. Large sleds can seat several riders and are pulled by one or more horses, while dog sleds pull one or two people and are usually pulled by several dogs. The sled you get out of the garage in the winter is made of plastic, wood, or metal, and it's meant to slide fast downhill. In the U.K., the word for a sled is sledge.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

See Examples For:

sled sleds sledded sledding

Northern sled dogs became compact and heavily coated for cold conditions, while hunting dogs near the equator tended to be leaner and better suited to heat.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

The actor added that he imagined turning the fictional home into a “movie fun house” where people could sled down the stairs just like Kevin does in the movie.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026

Lauryn Williams won a gold medal on the track in the 2012 London Games and a silver on the back of Taylor’s sled two years later in Sochi.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

They all have explosive power and speed over the initial acceleration phase where pushing the sled effectively is so vital.

From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026

At one point I have a man sitting on my sled.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Army Green Berets lumbered through a northern Swedish pine forest, struggling not to fall on their brand new skis as they dragged sleds over hills and frozen creeks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

Humphries and brakewoman Jasmine Jones, a former USC track star, finished third behind a pair of German sleds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2026

The real stars of the Milan Cortina Games aren’t on skis or skates or even bombing downhill on sleds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Also on the Cortina track, keep an eye out for Brad Hall's two-man and four-man sleds in the men's bobsleigh.

From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026

I wondered how we could ever get out of the city on our sleds.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

"I’ve been trying to juggle," she said as her 7-year-old sledded on the hill outside and her 4-year-old didn’t want to go out.

From Fox News ● Jan. 7, 2022

We sledded when we would’ve been chipping ice.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 8, 2021

In winter, children sledded on the slopes and skated on the frozen pond.

From New York Times ● Oct. 7, 2014

There are four bedrooms and it features the staircase that Culkin sledded down in the 1990 movie written by John Hughes.

From Seattle Times ● May 6, 2011

“We sledded all the way to Big Creek,” I told him.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

The partnership between people and dogs became especially specialized in the Arctic, where Indigenous communities developed highly sophisticated cultures centered on dog sledding.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

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

But pedestrians can take the chair lift up the mountain to enjoy the view, before walking, sledding or taking the lift down.

From Barron's ● Feb. 1, 2026

“Like, four years ago. I was in a sledding accident.”

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023