Sports Vocabulary in English: Words, Examples and Quiz

a game where two teams of eleven players kick a ball and try to get it into a goal

My brother plays soccer every Saturday.

in British English, the same game as soccer; in American English, a different game where players carry and throw an oval ball

Football is the most popular sport in Turkey.

a game where two teams try to throw a ball through a high ring with a net

We play basketball after school.

a game where two teams hit a ball with their hands over a high net

They play volleyball on the beach in summer.

a game for two or four people who hit a small ball over a net with rackets

Do you want to play tennis on Sunday?

a game like tennis that you play on a table with small bats and a very light ball; also called ping-pong

There's a table tennis table in our office.

a game where players hit a ball with a bat and run around four bases; very popular in the US

We watched a baseball game in New York.

a game where you hit a small ball into holes with a long stick, using as few hits as possible

My grandfather plays golf twice a week.

a game where players hit a ball or a puck with long curved sticks; in the US it usually means ice hockey

Hockey is very popular in Canada.

the sport or activity of moving through water using your arms and legs

Swimming is good for your back.

the activity of running for exercise or in races

Running in the morning helps me feel awake.

the sport or activity of riding a bicycle

Cycling to work is cheap and healthy.

the sport of moving over snow on long, narrow boards fixed to your boots

We go skiing in the mountains every winter.

a sport where two people fight by hitting each other with their hands in big gloves

He started boxing to get fit.

a kind of exercise where you stretch your body, hold positions and control your breathing

She does yoga before breakfast.

a sport where you do jumps, turns and balance moves on the floor or on special equipment

My daughter does gymnastics three times a week.

a person who plays a sport or a game

She's the best player on the team.

a group of people who play a sport together against another group

Which team do you support?

a person who trains a player or a team and helps them get better

Our coach makes us run before every practice.

a person who likes a sport or a team very much and watches it often

Thousands of fans were waiting outside the stadium.

the person who controls a game and makes sure players follow the rules

The referee stopped the game because a player was hurt.

a person who is very good at sports and often competes in them

Top athletes train for many hours every day.

the player who leads a team

The captain lifted the cup and the fans cheered.

the player who stands in the goal and tries to stop the ball from going in

The goalkeeper caught the ball with one hand.

the person or team you play against

Her opponent in the final is much older.

the person or team that wins a competition

They were the world champions in 2018.

a very large place with seats all around, where people watch sports

The new stadium has 50,000 seats.

an area of grass where people play soccer, baseball and other games; British English often says pitch for soccer

The players are coming onto the field now.

a flat area with lines on it for games like tennis and basketball

We booked a tennis court for six o'clock.

a large area of water made for swimming; also called a swimming pool

The hotel has an outdoor pool.

a room or building with machines and equipment for exercise

I go to the gym after work.

a path, usually in a circle, for running races

She ran four times around the track.

a round object that you throw, kick or hit in many games

Pass me the ball!

a thing with a long handle and strings, used to hit the ball in tennis and badminton

I need a new tennis racket.

material with holes in it, used across a court or at the back of a goal

The ball hit the net and fell back.

the frame with a net that the ball must go into; also a point you get when the ball goes in

He scored two goals in the first half.

a hard hat that keeps your head safe

Always wear a helmet when you go cycling.

one time that people play a sport against each other

Did you watch the game last night?

a sports game between two players or teams; common in British English and for tennis and boxing

The tennis match lasted three hours.

the number of points or goals each team has in a game; as a verb, to get a goal or point

What's the score? It's two-one to us.

one unit that you win in a game; the player or team with more points wins

We lost by just one point.

to be the best or come first in a game, race or competition

Who won the World Cup?

to not win a game, race or competition

We lost the game three-nil.

to win against another person or team

Spain beat Italy in the final.

a result where both teams have the same score; British English usually says draw

The game ended in a tie, one-one.

an event where people try to win by being the best

She won a swimming competition at school.

a competition to see who is the fastest

He finished second in the 100-meter race.

a flat, round piece of metal you get for winning or doing very well, often gold, silver or bronze

She won a gold medal at the Olympics.

to take part in a game or sport, usually one with a ball

Do you play any sports?

to hit something with your foot

He kicked the ball into the goal.

to send something through the air with your hand

Throw the ball to me!

to take and hold something that is moving through the air

I couldn't catch the ball. It was too fast.

to touch something hard and fast, often with a bat, racket or your hand

She hit the ball over the net.

to practice a sport often to get ready for a game or race

The team trains every Tuesday and Thursday.

to move your body to stay healthy and strong

Try to exercise for 30 minutes a day.

to do exercise, especially in a gym, to get fit or strong

I work out three times a week.

to do gentle exercise before a sport so your body is ready

Always warm up before you run.

to shout to show you are happy or to help your team

The fans cheered when the team came onto the field.