extracurricular

adjective

ex·​tra·​cur·​ric·​u·​lar ˌek-strə-kə-ˈri-kyə-lər 

1

: not falling within the scope of a regular curriculum

specifically : of or relating to officially or semiofficially approved and usually organized student activities (such as athletics) connected with school and usually carrying no academic credit

extracurricular sports

2

a

: lying outside one's regular duties or routine

b

: extramarital

extracurricular noun

Synonyms

• adulterate
• adulterine
• adulterous
• extramarital
• two-timing

Examples of extracurricular in a Sentence

hired a private detective to investigate her husband's extracurricular activities

Recent Examples on the Web

Admissions decisions may instead rely more heavily on GPA, coursework rigor, extracurricular activities, and personal essays. —Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025

Special education at different schools, few extracurricular activities, the complex and coordinated steps needed to carry out day-to-day life—all hidden. —Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2025

Musk’s extracurricular gig as President Donald Trump’s hatchet man has turned the Tesla brand — once a favorite among upwardly mobile lefties — into a symbol of America’s right wing. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025

Sanchez’s bill would require the organization that oversees public school sports and extracurricular activities to ban trans girls from playing women’s sports. —Lia Russell, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for extracurricular

• periarticular
• supraclavicular
• acicular
• articular
• curricular
• cuticular
• funicular
• lenticular
• navicular
• particular
• radicular
• reticular

Kids Definition

extracurricular

adjective

ex·​tra·​cur·​ric·​u·​lar ˌek-strə-kə-ˈrik-yə-lər 

: of or relating to those activities (as athletics) that are offered by a school but are not part of the course of study