arena

noun

are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
1
: an area in a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats
2
a
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
b
: a building containing an arena
3
a
: a sphere of interest, activity, or competition
the political arena
b
: a place or situation for controversy
in the public arena

Examples of arena in a Sentence

Congress became an arena of opposing views. the toughest political arena in the world The economic arena has been dominated by that country.
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.
There was still plenty of work left to do, though, evidenced by the large swaths of empty seats throughout the arena. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 Tom Ford is making headlines again, this time in the real estate arena, where he’s known as a regular buyer and seller of extraordinary homes. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024 Gilmour has announced no further tour dates, and the thousands of lucky strangers in the arena seemed content simply to smoke their weed, lean back in their seats, and absorb the sound. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024 Mineiro defeated River Plate in the semi finals to rob them of the opportunity of playing a final in their home arena. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arena 

Word History

Etymology

Latin harena, arena sand, sandy place

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of arena was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near arena

Cite this Entry

“Arena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arena. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

arena

noun
are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
1
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
2
: a building containing an arena
3
: a field of activity
the political arena

More from Merriam-Webster on arena

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!