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

Crutchfield thought there could be no way, but the sprinting player got there. —Cj Moore, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

In a viral TikTok video with 3.1 million views, a cow can be seen sprinting across a field to her calf. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025

Noun

His 48-yard sprint to the end zone was the key play in Baltimore’s 20-13 wild-card victory over the host Tennessee Titans in January 2021. —Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Prototype Solutions With Co-Innovation Sprints An effective approach to client onboarding in a tech services company involves creating a co-innovation sprint where the client collaborates with your team to prototype a solution to their most critical challenge within the first 30 days. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

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