sumo

American  

[soo-moh] / ˈsu moʊ /

noun

1. a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant wins by forcing his opponent out of the ring or by causing him to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet, contestants usually being men of great height and weight.

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sumo British  

/ ˈsuːməʊ /

noun

1. the national style of wrestling of Japan, the object of which is to force one's opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet or to step out of the ring

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Other Word Forms

• sumoist noun

Etymology

Origin of sumo

1895–1900; < Japanese sumō, earlier suma(f )u to wrestle

Example Sentences

The men dressed up incongruously as samurai warriors, and Riley arranged for the sumo world champion to be there, all 350 pounds of him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Paris has already hosted the wrestlers twice, in 1986 and 1995, and officials from the sumo association remember the trip as wrestlers themselves at the time.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

After years on the sidelines, sumo is back centre stage as part of Japan's soft power arsenal overseas.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

"Government agencies for sport and tourism are seeking to promote 'martial arts tourism', not only sumo, but also kendo and karate," he said.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

The sixty-six highest-ranked wrestlers in Japan, comprising the makuuchi and juryo divisions, make up the sumo elite.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt