World Cup
Americannoun
-
a trophy emblematic since 1930 of the world championship in soccer and competed for every four years by finalists who have won qualifying matches among more than 150 national teams.
-
the quadrennial championship match for this trophy between the two finalists emergent from 24 qualifying teams, which include regional winners, the defending champion, and the host country team.
noun
Compare meaning
How does world-cup compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
That sentiment resonated with 42-year-old Antonio Rivera, a Bay Area local who recalled the excitement he felt as a child in Jalisco watching the 1986 World Cup, which Mexico hosted.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
If Scotland hit the mark in their upcoming matches the way McGinn did in front of the media then this could be a special World Cup.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on Thursday and will feature games played across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Temperatures in Los Angeles are expected to warm up this week, coinciding with the first game of the U.S. men’s World Cup on Friday at SoFi stadium.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
“The — the Quidditch World Cup, my Lord?” said Wormtail.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
![]()
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.