sneaker

[snee-ker]

See more synonyms for sneaker on Thesaurus.com

noun

a high or low shoe, usually of fabric such as canvas, with a rubber or synthetic sole.
one who sneaks; a sneak.

Origin of sneaker

First recorded in 1590–1600; sneak + -er¹

Can be confusedsneaker snicker

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for sneakers

cleat, shoe, footwear, sneak, footgear

Examples from the Web for sneakers

Contemporary Examples of sneakers

You write about your obsession with sneakers—why do you think so many young men are into sneakers?
Portrait of the Austin Mahone as a Teen Idol
William O’Connor
December 10, 2014
Mahone told The Daily Beast about his family, his fans, and, of course, his sneakers.
Portrait of the Austin Mahone as a Teen Idol
William O’Connor
December 10, 2014
He wears a black Under Armour T-shirt, red basketball shorts, sneakers, and white socks hiked up to his calves.
The Ugly Truth About Cory Booker, New Jersey’s Golden Boy
Olivia Nuzzi
October 20, 2014
Like countless other boys in Massapequa, he had a crew cut and wore Keds sneakers and T-shirts with horizontal stripes.
Why Comedians Still Think Bill Cosby Is a Genius
Mark Whitaker
October 5, 2014
Driving a dusty VW, with the seats covered in plastic, Riahi was wearing blue jeans and sneakers and a white winter coat.
A Woman Blogger’s Scoop Helped Save Tunisia From Islamists
Thomas A. Bass
April 6, 2014

Historical Examples of sneakers

I think that is true, and I still consider it the best explanation of the Sneakers.
Tramping with Tramps
Josiah Flynt
It'll make less noise than a mouse in sneakers drooling on a blotter!
Double or Nothing
Jack Sharkey
At his elbow, shod in sneakers silent, is always a stenographer.
Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Vol. 1 of 14
Elbert Hubbard
I had on sneakers and I put in my best work, for I wanted to get on this side of the channel.
The Go Ahead Boys and Simon's Mine
Ross Kay
Reddy looked knowingly at Arthur, and the latter pulled off his jacket and kicked off his sneakers.
The Girls of Central High in Camp
Gertrude W. Morrison

British Dictionary definitions for sneakers

sneakers

pl n

mainly US and Canadian canvas shoes with rubber soles worn for sports or informally

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sneakers

sneaker

1590s, "one who sneaks," agent noun from sneak (v.). Meaning "rubber-soled shoe" is attested from 1895, American English; earlier sneak (1862), so called because the shoe was noiseless. See also plimsoll.

The night-officer is generally accustomed to wear a species of India-rubber shoes or goloshes on her feet. These are termed 'sneaks' by the women [of Brixton Prison]. ["Female Life in Prison," 1862]