Synonyms of sport

sport 1 of 2

noun

1

as in recreation

activity engaged in to amuse oneself

I don't care terribly whether I actually catch any fish, as I'm just doing this for sport

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recreation
• relaxation
• fun
• entertainment
• amusement
• enjoyment
• play
• pleasure
• dalliance
• rollicking
• hobby
• frolic
• fun and games
• pastime
• frolicking
• playfulness
• diversion
• delight
• romping
• hobbyhorse
• mischief
• pleasance
• lark
• kick
• sportiveness
• gamboling
• devilment
• rascality
• revel
• revelry
• horseplay
• hob
• merrymaking
• buffoonery
• hilarity
• spree
• merriment
• tomfoolery
• wantonness
• knavery
• devilry
• jinks
• high jinks
• mischievousness
• fling
• binge
• roguishness
• friskiness
• hanky-panky
• rollick
• impishness
• whoopee
• waggery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• work
• labor
• duty
• drudgery
• responsibility
• obligation

2

as in game

an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously

teasing that began in sport ended with some hateful words being exchanged

Synonyms & Similar Words

• game
• play
• fun
• silliness
• jest
• frivolity
• levity
• flippancy
• frivolousness
• facetiousness
• frothiness
• flightiness
• light-mindedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• earnest
• gravity
• seriousness
• earnestness
• sobriety
• solemnity
• soberness

3

as in ridicule

the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something

taught their children that it was not polite to make sport of others

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ridicule
• contempt
• disdain
• laughter
• mockery
• derision
• satire
• insult
• scorn
• disparagement
• burlesque
• mimicry
• caricature
• belittlement
• catcall
• deprecation
• put-down
• pasquinade
• snickering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approval
• praise
• applause
• commendation

4

as in joke

a person or thing that is made fun of

had become the long-suffering sport of the village

Synonyms & Similar Words

• joke
• target
• victim
• fool
• mockery
• butt
• mock
• derision
• jest
• pigeon
• laughingstock
• monkey
• mark
• sucker
• gull
• fall guy
• chump
• sap
• dupe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• favorite
• pet
• darling

sport

2 of 2

verb

ˈspȯrt 

1

as in to play

to engage in activity for amusement

from sailing to snorkeling, each day we sported at a different activity offered by the beach resort

Synonyms & Similar Words

• play
• toy
• recreate
• frolic
• disport
• entertain
• joke
• relax
• amuse
• rest
• rollick
• delight
• romp
• gambol
• dabble
• skylark
• cavort
• please
• trifle
• hang
• fiddle (around)
• tease
• frisk
• bum (around)
• dally
• idle
• slack (off)
• divert
• putter (around)
• screw around
• lounge (around or about)
• hang about
• loaf
• jest
• dawdle
• mess around
• goldbrick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• work
• slave
• struggle
• labor
• strive
• sweat
• toil
• plug (away)
• strain
• drudge
• plod

2

as in to dance

to play and run about happily

the millionaire's grandchildren sporting on the estate's spacious grounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dance
• leap
• hop
• caper
• cut capers
• romp
• lark
• gambol
• frolic
• cavort
• skip
• tumble
• disport
• frisk
• rollick
• revel
• spring
• trip
• bound
• kick up one's heels
• curvet
• horse around
• lope
• prance
• carouse
• roister
• cut up
• clown
• kite
• fool around
• carry on
• roughhouse
• joyride
• skylark

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stew
• pout
• sulk
• mope

3

as in to display

to present so as to invite notice or attention

sported his flashy new car by driving it all over town

Synonyms & Similar Words

• display
• show
• flash
• exhibit
• parade
• wave
• expose
• show off
• produce
• unveil
• flaunt
• announce
• strut
• lay out
• disport
• advertise
• air
• broadcast
• flourish
• reveal
• tell (of)
• proclaim
• discover
• publicize
• post
• sound
• divulge
• herald
• blaze
• brandish
• talk (about)
• bare
• trumpet
• uncover
• placard
• unmask
• uncloak

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• camouflage
• mask
• disguise
• cover
• curtain
• hide
• obscure
• conceal
• veil
• occlude
• occult
• shroud
• enshroud

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sport differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sport are fun, game, jest, and play. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

When is fun a more appropriate choice than sport?

The synonyms fun and sport are sometimes interchangeable, but fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How are the words game and sport related?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

Where would jest be a reasonable alternative to sport?

The meanings of jest and sport largely overlap; however, jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When can play be used instead of sport?

In some situations, the words play and sport are roughly equivalent. However, play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

How does the noun sport differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sport are fun, game, jest, and play. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

When is fun a more appropriate choice than sport?

The synonyms fun and sport are sometimes interchangeable, but fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How are the words game and sport related?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

Where would jest be a reasonable alternative to sport?

The meanings of jest and sport largely overlap; however, jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When can play be used instead of sport?

In some situations, the words play and sport are roughly equivalent. However, play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sport

Noun

There are a variety of proposals in Congress to regulate prediction markets, including bills that would prohibit bets on things like death, war and sports on platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket. —Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026

From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture. —Erika Harwood, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026

Verb

With higher salaries brings higher attention, and the game brought all the fanfare that comes with one-stop sporting events in Kansas City. —Pj Green april 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026

Corey Gamble strapped on an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to watch the Los Angeles Lakers in the Playoffs, John Krasinski donned a Bulgari Octo Roma for The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere, and Kal Penn sported a TAG Heuer Carrera on Jimmy Kimmel Live! —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing sport

• make sport of