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
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 the trifecta of excelling in distance running, swimming and the classroom is trumped by another athletic endeavor that took Thompson across the Atlantic Ocean two weeks ago. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 The Kritzer sisters get their height and athletic genes from their parents. — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 The tie-in melding top athletic performance and dermatological science has integrative health as its overarching focus. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026 Many schools’ athletic directors have been reporting all scores by themselves, leading to delayed — and sometimes inaccurate — reporting. — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 7 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 14 Oct. 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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