adj
Common
sporting
SPAW-tihng
Sporting (adj) means relating to sports. Example: “The town is building a new sporting centre with a pool and gym.”
adj
1
Relating to sports.
"The town is building a new sporting centre with a pool and gym."
"He collects sporting memorabilia, like old boots and signed match programmes."
"He got a job in a sporting goods store."
"It was a big weekend for sporting events across the country."
2
Fair and generous in behavior, especially in competition; showing good sportsmanship.
"That was a very sporting thing to do, shaking hands after losing."
"She was sporting about the defeat and congratulated the winners warmly."
"It was sporting of him to let his opponent take the point."
How to use sporting
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelated to sports, or behaving fairly and graciously.
Common pairings
sporting event
a sporting chance
sporting gesture
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Word forms
- Plural
- sportings
- Comparative
- more sporting
- Superlative
- most sporting
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The town is building a new _____ centre with a pool and gym.
Etymology
By surface analysis, formed from sport and -ing.
Synonyms
View more →
athletic
fair
generous
gracious
good-natured
magnanimous
betting
sporty
sportsmanlike
gambling
dissipated
clean
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for sporting
sorting
snorting
shorting
reporting
escorting
cavorting
comforting
supporting
distorting
transporting
See all rhymes for sporting →
Frequently asked questions
What does “sporting” mean?
The word “sporting” means relating to sports. In plain terms, related to sports, or behaving fairly and graciously.
How do you pronounce “sporting”?
“Sporting” is pronounced SPAW-tihng (/ˈspɔɹtɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sporting” in a sentence?
Here is “sporting” used in a sentence: “It was a big weekend for sporting events across the country.”
What part of speech is “sporting”?
“Sporting” is an adjective.
Is “sporting” a common word?
“Sporting” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sporting” have?
“Sporting” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to sports.
What is the difference between "sporting" and "sports"?
"Sporting" is an adjective meaning relating to sports, as in a sporting event or sporting goods. "Sports" is the plural noun and is also used attributively, so both a sporting event and a sports event are common.
What is the difference between "sporting" and "sportsmanlike"?
Both describe fair, generous behavior in competition. "Sportsmanlike" focuses specifically on conduct within a game, while "sporting" can also simply mean relating to sports in general.
