# sports

/ˈspɔɹts/ (US) · /spˈɔːts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sports
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. athletic activities

noun · CEFR A1

games or activities that people do for exercise or fun, often involving competition.

For teachers: physical activities or games, often competitive and governed by rules, played for exercise or entertainment.

- She played many different sports in high school, including soccer and basketball.
- The university offers excellent facilities for a wide range of sports, from traditional rowing to modern competitive climbing.

### 2. related to sport

adjective · CEFR A2

describing things that are used for or related to sports.

For teachers: functioning as an attributive adjective to describe objects, clothing, or media associated with athletic activities.

- He went to the sports shop to buy a new tennis racket.
- The sports section of the newspaper provides detailed analysis of the weekend's professional league results.

Usage: Always placed before the noun it describes.

### 3. to wear or display

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to wear something or have a feature in a way that people notice.

For teachers: to wear or display a particular item or physical feature, often with a sense of pride or ostentation.

- The old building sports a new coat of bright red paint.
- He usually sports a neatly trimmed beard and a vintage leather jacket whenever he attends these formal gallery openings.

Usage: Third-person singular form of the verb 'sport'.

## Examples

- She plays many sports like tennis and soccer.
- The local community center offers various sports for children, including basketball and swimming lessons.
- While professional sports generate significant revenue through broadcasting rights, their primary social value remains the promotion of physical health and communal identity through shared competition.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.