sled
Americannoun
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a small vehicle consisting of a platform mounted on runners for use in traveling over snow or ice.
-
a sledge.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
Other Word Forms
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.
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.
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
Luckily for both women, there was a well-worn path from the track to the Winter Olympics: Just hop onto a sled.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
Only one person competes, pushing the sled at the start and piloting down the course at speeds of 70 to 80 mph.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 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
I stopped and put him back on the sled and tried to start again but it was no good.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
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.
