athlete
noun
ath·lete
ˈath-ˌlēt 
nonstandard
ˈa-thə-ˌlēt
1
: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
2
: an animal (such as a horse or a dog) that competes in races or other sporting events or has qualities (such as stamina and agility) suggestive of a human athlete
Hospice working dogs were wiry, muscular, agile, yellowish-tan or brown athletes with unexaggerated heads …—
Deborah Lawson
Deborah LawsonExamples of athlete in a Sentence
Athletes from around the world will be competing at the Olympics.
She was quite an athlete as a child.
Recent Examples on the Web
Fellow moms applauded the accomplished athlete for prioritizing her win.
—Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024
Even with all his greatness as an athlete, he will equally be remembered as a trailblazing broadcaster.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for athlete 
Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024
Even with all his greatness as an athlete, he will equally be remembered as a trailblazing broadcaster.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for athlete
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'athlete.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Athlete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
athlete
noun
ath·lete
ˈath-ˌlēt
: a person who is trained in or good at games and exercises that require physical skill, endurance, and strength
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