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Special Olympics

American

plural noun

an international program of fitness and athletic competition for children and adults who have mental and often physical disabilities, founded in 1968 and featuring events and quadrennial games modeled on those of the Olympics as well as regional and national competitions.

Other Word Forms

Special Olympian noun

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.

He was one of L.A.’s best-known philanthropists, contributing more than $100 million to causes such as the Special Olympics and the Los Angeles Zoo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

"Jenkins just put your project and Special Olympics funding on the veto list," Fine wrote to West Melbourne City Councilman John Dittmore.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2025

He is the third Welsh Special Olympics athlete to run the London Marathon.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2024

Erskine and his wife, Betty, later established a nonprofit to raise money for the Special Olympics.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024

A granddaughter of Boutilier who worked for Special Olympics didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment on his behalf.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2024

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