schoolyard
noun
school·yard
ˈskül-ˌyärd 
plural schoolyards
: the area next to or surrounding a school where students typically play games or sports
He organized a marbles tournament that could take place only in the schoolyard during recess.—
Jerry Spinelli
Jerry Spinelli… there was a schoolboyish quality to the way he did it—as if he were trying to show that he was the biggest, toughest boy in the schoolyard.—Elizabeth Drew
—often used before another nounElizabeth Drewschoolyard games
a schoolyard bully
Examples of schoolyard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Before the Assembly vote on Tuesday, Connolly argued that the prevalence of the chemicals near classrooms is a source of anxiety for parents of school-age kids living in some of the state’s most rural counties where schoolyards and farms often border each other.
—Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
Added to these is the anxiety associated with the classrooms, halls, and schoolyards.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2024
Whereas Gay described the fight between the girls as a schoolyard dust-up, Schwartz painted it as a planned attack.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
People arrived early Sunday morning at polling stations across the country, forming orderly queues and waiting their turns to cast their ballots, the tranquil scenes in schoolyards and under trees standing in contrast to the drama of the previous month.
—Mady Camara, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
The Aztecs kicked the Rams around the schoolyard and grabbed their lunch money, going on an 18-1 run to end it.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2024
The visual was a more advanced version of kickball seen on local schoolyards during recess.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024
That's because she and the next person on our list were not selected for teams on a day 2 schoolyard pick 'em.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The schoolyard is where skaters come together to make work and to support each other.
—Ian F. Blair, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023
Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
Added to these is the anxiety associated with the classrooms, halls, and schoolyards.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2024
Whereas Gay described the fight between the girls as a schoolyard dust-up, Schwartz painted it as a planned attack.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
People arrived early Sunday morning at polling stations across the country, forming orderly queues and waiting their turns to cast their ballots, the tranquil scenes in schoolyards and under trees standing in contrast to the drama of the previous month.
—Mady Camara, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
The Aztecs kicked the Rams around the schoolyard and grabbed their lunch money, going on an 18-1 run to end it.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2024
The visual was a more advanced version of kickball seen on local schoolyards during recess.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024
That's because she and the next person on our list were not selected for teams on a day 2 schoolyard pick 'em.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The schoolyard is where skaters come together to make work and to support each other.
—Ian F. Blair, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'schoolyard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near schoolyard
Cite this Entry
“Schoolyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolyard. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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