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.
After the show went off the air, however, Owens attacked Rhodes, with Rhodes being carted out of the arena on a stretcher. Joe Otterson, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024 DuBose was down on the field for several moments and medical personnel had to cut off his jersey and remove his shoulder pads before placing him on a stretcher and carrying him out of the arena. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2024 The 82-year-old music legend was joined by children from the You Should Be Dancing Theatre Academy, transforming the arena into a winter wonderland. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 16 Dec. 2024 After making her way across Europe in the spring, the pop star will headline a handful of arenas in North America next summer, beginning on July 23 in Boston. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 Dec. 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 26 Dec. 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!