heptathlon

noun

hep·​tath·​lon hep-ˈtath-lən How to pronounce heptathlon (audio) -ˌlän How to pronounce heptathlon (audio)
nonstandard -ˈta-thə-
Synonyms of heptathlonnext
: a 7-event athletic contest
specifically : a composite contest for female athletes that consists of the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, the javelin throw, and the 800-meter run

Examples of heptathlon in a Sentence

She won a gold medal in the heptathlon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hall is a 2024 Olympian with two world championship medals in the heptathlon. — Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 Sofia Cosculluela finished with 6,182 points in the heptathlon to win Washington's first championship in the event. — ABC News, 14 June 2026 Only Anna Hall, who finished fifth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, has a better high school girls heptathlon score. — Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025 Jenna Fee Feyerabend has secured a berth in the women’s heptathlon after winning the Mountain West title with a record score. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for heptathlon

Word History

Etymology

hept- + -athlon (as in decathlon)

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heptathlon was in 1977

Browse Nearby Words

heptathlete
heptathlon
heptatomic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heptathlon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heptathlon. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

heptathlon

noun
hep·​tath·​lon
hep-ˈtath-lən, 
-ˌlän
: an athletic contest made up of seven different track-and-field events

More from Merriam-Webster on heptathlon

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for heptathlon

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heptathlon

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