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Synonyms

sports

American  
[spawrts, spohrts] / spɔrts, spoʊrts /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a sport or sports, especially of the open-air or athletic kind.

    a sports festival.

  2. (of garments, equipment, etc.) suitable for use in open-air sports or for outdoor or informal use.


sports British  
/ spɔːts /

noun

  1. (modifier) relating to, concerned with, or used in sports

    sports equipment

  2. (modifier) relating to or similar to a sports car

    sports seats

  3. Also called: sports day.  a meeting held at a school or college for competitions in various athletic events

"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

Etymology

Origin of sports

First recorded in 1910–15; sport + -s 3

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.

Whichever way the decision breaks, it’s clear that the agendas of college sports’ two ruling conferences carry more weight than ever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

It offered access to sports’ biggest events, including Europe’s football championships, the NFL, NBA, MLB, pay-per-view boxing and F1 races.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2025

The Minnesota Vikings, one of only two unbeaten sides left in the league, will kick us off against one of the sports' iconic quarterbacks and four-time MVP Rodgers and his New York Jets.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2024

There’s little money to go around from sports’ governing bodies, and “six-figure sponsorship deals are few and far between,” says Rapf.

From Slate • Aug. 9, 2024

The sound of their cries coming across the ice reminded one of the noise from a distant sports' ground during a well-contested game.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

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