sporting

adjective

sport·​ing ˈspȯr-tiŋ How to pronounce sporting (audio)
Synonyms of sportingnext
1
a
: of, relating to, used, or suitable for sport
especially : trained for trapping or retrieving game
sporting dogs
b
: marked by or calling for sportsmanship
c
: involving such risk as a sports contender may expect to take or encounter
a sporting chance
2
: of or relating to dissipation and especially gambling
3
: tending to mutate freely
sportingly adverb

Examples of sporting in a Sentence

It wasn't very sporting of you to trip him.
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.
The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. — Katelyn Chef, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026 The same is true across all other non-sporting departments, where the competition for labor is against the total labor market, and not just athletes with a unique skillset. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025 These are lessons often lost on commercial, non-sporting, organizations who all too often focus on the transaction, rather than the total experience. — Bill Fischer, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2022 Revenue from non-sporting events stood at €22million in Atletico’s most recent annual budget, excluding concert ticketing, which has not previously been a revenue stream for the club. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sporting

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sporting was in 1713

Phrases Containing sporting

Rhymes for sporting

See All Rhymes for sporting

Browse Nearby Words

sportiness
sporting
sporting blood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sporting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sporting. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sporting

adjective
sport·​ing ˈspōrt-iŋ How to pronounce sporting (audio)
ˈspȯrt-
1
: of, relating to, or suitable for sport
sporting events
sporting dogs
2
: involving about as much risk as a sports competitor would expect to take
a sporting chance

More from Merriam-Webster on sporting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sporting

Nglish: Translation of sporting for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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