athletic

adjective

ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈle-tik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
nonstandard
ˌa-thə-ˈle- How to pronounce athletic (audio)
Synonyms of athletic
1
: of or relating to athletes or athletics
an athletic scholarship
athletic teams
athletic events
2
a
: characteristic of an athlete
athletic talent
a strong, athletic build
b
: vigorous, active
an athletic lifestyle
c
: active or gifted in sports, games, or exercises
He's not very athletic.
3
: used by athletes
athletic shoes/equipment
the school's athletic fields
4
: mesomorphic
athletically
ath-ˈle-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce athletic (audio)
adverb

Examples of athletic in a Sentence

They each received an athletic scholarship to the school. Students can get discount tickets for all athletic events. His athletic career spanned three decades. She has great athletic ability. She's tall and has an athletic build.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Gwath also spoke with athletic director DeWayne Peevy about the bigger-picture goals at DePaul, which has improved from three wins in 2023-24 — the season before Holtmann arrived — to 16-16 and 8-12 in the Big East last season. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026 But, the threat of recourse by the conference, along with a federal lawsuit filed by the SEC that very same week, saw the LSU athletic department make the decision to keep them off the team. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 The estate was the perfect wedding present from the late Queen Elizabeth to her athletic, no-nonsense daughter and her first husband, Mark Phillips. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026 Many others note that the color options include lots of chic neutral tones, rather than the usual brights of most athletic sneakers. — Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for athletic

Word History

Etymology

see athlete

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of athletic was in 1585

Phrases Containing athletic

Rhymes for athletic

See All Rhymes for athletic

Browse Nearby Words

athlete's heart
athletic
athleticism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Athletic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athletic. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

athletic

adjective
ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of athletes or athletics
2
: vigorous sense 1, active
3
: strong sense 1, muscular
athletically
-ˈlet-i-k(ə)lē How to pronounce athletic (audio)
adverb
athleticism
ath-ˈlet-ə-ˌsi-zəm
noun

Medical Definition

athletic

adjective
ath·​let·​ic ath-ˈlet-ik How to pronounce athletic (audio)
: characterized by heavy frame, large chest, and powerful muscular development : mesomorphic

More from Merriam-Webster on athletic

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for athletic

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