athletic

adjective ath·let·ic \ ath-ˈle-tik , nonstandard ˌa-thə-ˈle- \

Updated on: 30 Nov 2017

Definition 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

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

—

athleticism

play \-ˈle-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

See athletic defined for English-language learners

See athletic defined for kids

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 of athletic from the Web

When the Lions began the season, first-year head coach and athletic director Nash Murray was in charge of the program.

— jon poorman, Houston Chronicle, "FOOTBALL: Legacy Prep senior May is The Courier's Player of the Week," 30 Oct. 2017
The palette ranges from deep black to pale pink, with pops of bright blue and athletic-inspired heather gray.

— avery matera, Teen Vogue, "Kendall and Kylie Jenner Debut Topshop Lingerie Range," 11 Oct. 2017
But gender diversity there may be better than in some aspects of college sports, such as the number of female athletic directors.

— james warren, vanityfair.com, "What Foreigners Really See When They Come to America," 9 Oct. 2017
But instead, the NFL apparently sees itself as an old-fashioned meritocracy where athletic skills and corporate success alone determine who plays and who owns.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "The Glass House of the NFL," 5 Oct. 2017
Raden founder Josh Udashkin opts for a blazer by the Japanese brand 45rpm, which are made of a more athletic material.

— jane sung, CNT, "Packing Tips for Long Flights," 22 Sep. 2017
From there, Raz began with Schultz’s childhood in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, where Schultz shared a bedroom with his brother and sister and honed his athletic skills on the playground.

— nicole brodeur, The Seattle Times, "Who tried to steal Starbucks? Howard Schultz won’t tell.," 15 Sep. 2017
Behind the lavish salaries, superior athletic abilities, and legions of adoring fans is a regular person who wants to be loved like the rest of us.

— tyler watamanuk, GQ, "Steph Curry Just Responded to Everyone Who Thinks His Under Armour Sneakers Suck," 27 Oct. 2017
Following the match, King continued her professional career, and has since received numerous awards not only for her athletic abilities, but also for her advocacy work centering around both women's and LGBT rights.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Battle of the Sexes," 19 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'athletic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.