Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sneaker
Explanation
Athletic or casual rubber-soled shoes are called sneakers. Before you walk your neighbor's Great Dane, you'll have to take off your work shoes and put on your sneakers. You can also call sneakers tennis shoes, kicks, or running shoes, and if you're in Britain, you can call them trainers or plimsolls. Sneakers are made for exercise and sports, but they're also very popular everyday shoes because they're so comfortable. Sneaker, which is most common in the Northeast US, comes from their noiseless rubber soles, perfect for sneaking. Originally, they were called sneaks.
Vocabulary lists containing sneaker
"On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins
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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:
The company has faced struggles in China and in its sneaker business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Founded in Massachusetts in the early 1900s, the popularity of Converse has skyrocketed since its Chuck Taylor sneaker was first introduced to US basketball courts in 1917.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Peacock acknowledged the sneaker brand’s apology, but added that “must come with accountability.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Just three years ago, Kioshi employed nearly 120 people and produced 40,000 pairs of sneaker and flip-flops a month in the south of Buenos Aires.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
I dug my sneaker into the dirt, crumpling a patch of brown grass.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
While it may feel like these sneakers inspired by vacuum cleaners are now everywhere, the truth is they are nowhere close.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Nike has been trying to sell off casual throwback sneakers, like Dunks and Air Force 1s, that have fallen out of style.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Beyond training, hip Chinese people wear tennis skirts and high-end running sneakers as fashion statements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Nike, and some retailers, have also cited the popularity of running sneakers like the Vomero and the Pegasus.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Michael’s sneakers splashed through the puddles as he dashed across the courtyard.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
