sprint

1 of 2

verb

ˈsprint 

sprinted; sprinting; sprints

intransitive verb

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

sprinter noun

sprint

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or an instance of sprinting

2

a

: dash sense 3b

b

: a burst of speed

Synonyms

Verb

• dash
• gallop
• jog
• run
• scamper
• trip
• trot

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

Verb

Videos circulating on social media show what appears to be a portion of the gunfire as dozens of people ran behind cars to take cover, some attempting to sprint to safety and others jumping to the ground. —Marquise Francis, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024

The final shot of Choi’s Instagram video shows a cameraman sprinting around exhausted runners just before Choi reaches the finish line. —Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 9 Nov. 2024

Noun

This is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself. —Joanna Allhands, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024

As his set winds down, a bearded man in Chaos merch sprints across the stage headed right for Ken. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing sprint

• sprint car
• wind sprint

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

1

: a short run at top speed

2

: a race over a short distance