sporty
Americanadjective
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flashy; showy.
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smart in dress, behavior, etc.
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like or befitting a sportsman.
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dissipated; fast.
a sporty crowd.
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designed for or suitable for sport.
adjective
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(of a person) fond of sport or outdoor activities
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(of clothes) having the appearance of sportswear
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(of a car) having the performance or appearance of a sports car
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of sporty
Explanation
Look down. Are you wearing sneakers? Ready to kick a ball, shoot some hoops, or go watch a game? If so, you’re sporty! Sporty things are related to athletics. You are sporty if you love sports, dress like you love sports, or behave like a good sport by saying “good game” even when you lose. Sporty can also describe something fast and flashy, like a sporty red convertible. The oldest recorded meaning of sporty is "sportsmanlike," from the late nineteenth century.
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.
Xiaomi, a maker of sporty sedans and SUVs, highlighted its hiring of European designers who worked at automakers such as Porsche and Lamborghini.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
I was outdoorsy and sporty, largely because girls back then were told by mothers that they were entitled to the same things as boys.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
To advertise her business, she affixed a decal and phone number to her white 1984 Pontiac Fiero, a sporty two-seater with retractable headlights.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Meg, a popular and sporty teenager, was enjoying the social side of student life.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
I see him walk in, and it’s almost like he’s dressed for a date, too—even if he doesn’t look sporty, he’s certainly trying to be his best self.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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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.