sprint

1 of 2

verb

ˈsprint

sprinted; sprinting; sprints

Synonyms of sprint

intransitive verb

: to run or go at top speed especially for a short distance

sprinter noun

sprint

2 of 2

noun

: the act or an instance of sprinting

: dash sense 3b

: a burst of speed

Examples of sprint in a Sentence

Verb The bicycle racers sprinted for the finish line. he sprinted off to class so as to avoid being late Noun He made a sprint for the finish line.

Recent Examples on the Web

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Verb

In the process, San Jose State’s quarterback was forced from the pocket and Wafle, now sprinting from the other direction, nearly forced a safety. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Perhaps most curiously in this trailer is a shot of two adults sprinting across a bridge that lights up in a romantic, fairy tale sort of way. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Noun

The first budget meeting typically serves as a curtain-raiser for a two-week sprint to eliminate as many contentious budget provisions as possible — often with one-time revenue sources that kick the fiscal can to another year. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026 The 29-year-old Lyles won gold in the 100 at Paris in a photo finish, narrowly edging out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and becoming the first American man to win the Olympic sprint since Justin Gatlin in 2004. — Zack Pierce, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sprint

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English (Scots) sprenten to spring, leap, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect sprinta to jump, hop; akin to Old High German sprinzan to jump up

First Known Use

Verb

1847, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of sprint was in 1836

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sprint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprint. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sprint

1 of 2 verb

ˈsprint

: to run at top speed especially for a short distance

sprinter noun

sprint

2 of 2 noun

: a short run at top speed

: a race over a short distance

sprint

verb

noun

Synonyms of sprint

Examples of sprint in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition

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sprint

verb

noun

Synonyms of sprint

Examples of sprint in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing sprint

Rhymes for sprint

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on sprint

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