prizefighter

noun

prize·​fight·​er ˈprīz-ˌfī-tər How to pronounce prizefighter (audio)
plural prizefighters
Synonyms of prizefighternext
: a professional boxer who competes in matches for money prizes
Grandpa James himself was a prizefighter in Tampa before moving to Key West during the Depression. … Five years ago he coldcocked a 33-year-old man with a left hook.—Rick Telander

Synonyms of prizefighter

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Examples of prizefighter in a Sentence

a prizefighter who is generally acknowledged to be one of the ring's most dangerous men
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.
But Ford had stripped these two unpainted entries down to the chassis, like prizefighters shedding final pounds before weigh-in. — Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026 But on a tour on which Lamar stands as the equivalent of an undefeated prizefighter with no close suitors, a bold visionary taking hip-hop and dialect places seldom explored, the disconnect is too severe. — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025 Certainly, as too many prizefighters like the now-48-year-old and occasional exhibition-bout-fighting Floyd Mayweather have learned the hard way, not paying attention to the money and the purse has consequences above and beyond the fine print in or out of your prime. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026 The explosive jazz‑rock pianist – known for redefining piano performance with the physicality of a prizefighter and the swagger of a rock guitarist – is set to turn the DIA’s auditorium into something closer to a sonic combustion chamber. — Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prizefighter

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "person participating in a prize," from prise, price, prize "sporting contest usually between two opponents, as a fencing or wrestling match" (of uncertain origin) + fighter, after fight a prize "to enter into a duel or contest"; the initial element was later taken as prize entry 1

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prizefighter was in 1861

Rhymes for prizefighter

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Prizefighter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prizefighter. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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