schoolyard

noun

school·​yard ˈskül-ˌyärd How to pronounce schoolyard (audio)
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
… 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 noun
schoolyard games
a schoolyard bully

Examples of schoolyard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Students in schoolyard as gunfire starts Bassam Abu-Assaf, the principal of the all-boys school that came under fire, said at least five armed settlers had approached the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, around noon. Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 Hundreds of competitors went home without any prizes but with hearts full of youthful joy — thanks to a schoolyard game that’s over 2,000 years old. Brian Cheung, NBC news, 20 Apr. 2026 Researchers also had volunteers plant the same flowers in backyards, schoolyards, and public spaces and track pollinator insects. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026 Most recently, the Fantasyland Theatre has been transformed into a depiction of Bluey’s schoolyard, incorporating a fun fair with games, dancing and more. Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for schoolyard

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of schoolyard was in 1586

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Cite this Entry

“Schoolyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolyard. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

schoolyard

noun
school·​yard
-ˌyärd
: the playground of a school

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