Sports and Players: English Vocabulary List

a sport in which fighters wear special gloves and use only their fists to hit each other

"He likes boxing."

"Boxing requires intense cardiovascular fitness because matches consist of multiple rounds during which fighters must constantly move dodge and throw punches without rest."

the activity or sport of riding on a horse

"She loves horseback riding."

"Horseback riding helped him feel calm and connected to nature."

a sport in which riders race against each other with their horses

"Horse racing is exciting."

"Horse racing is a popular sport in many countries and the Kentucky Derby is the most famous race."

a player that guards the goal in soccer or other sports

"The goalkeeper made a save."

"The goalkeeper stayed alert for the entire match and made several crucial saves."

someone who rides a bicycle

"The cyclist wore a helmet."

"The cyclist rode carefully through traffic and stayed close to the edge of the road."

someone who plays golf as a profession or just for fun

"The golfer was calm."

"The golfer practiced every day to improve accuracy and control."

someone who plays soccer, especially as a job

"The soccer player scored."

"The soccer player was penalized for diving pretending to be fouled in an attempt to deceive the referee into awarding a penalty kick for his team."

a very large, often roofless, structure where sports events, etc. are held for an audience

"The stadium is large."

"Thousands of fans filled the stadium before the match began."

a series of sporting games in which teams or players compete against different rivals in different rounds until only one remains and that is the winner

"The tournament starts soon."

"The tournament brought together the best players in the region."

a group of sports clubs or players who compete against each other and are put together based on the points they have gained through the season

"The league is competitive."

"The soccer league consists of twenty teams that play each other twice every season once at home and once away before playoffs begin."

related to or associated with the Olympic Games

"She is an Olympic champion."

"The Olympic athlete trained for years to win a gold medal for her country."

the winner of a competition

"She is the champion."

"The young athlete emerged as the undisputed champion after an incredible performance in the final race."

a short break between two halves of a game or match

"We rested at half-time."

"During half time the coach gave an emotional speech that motivated the players to return to the field with renewed energy and determination to win."

an object with a handle, an oval frame and a tightly fixed net, used for hitting the ball in sports such as badminton, tennis, etc.

"The racket is light."

"Her tennis racket needed new strings because the old ones had become loose and were affecting the accuracy of her shots during practice."

an official who is in charge of a game, making sure the rules are obeyed by the players

"The referee blew the whistle."

"The referee made a fair decision and kept the game under control."

a competition in which participants compete to defeat their opponents

"The contest was tough."

"She entered the contest and hoped to win the top prize."

a competition that is held at the ground of an opponent

"The away game was difficult."

"The away game felt harder because the crowd supported the other team."

a sports match played on a team's own field or court, rather than at the opponent's location

"The home game was crowded."

"The home game gave the team extra confidence because their fans were cheering loudly."

a yearly football competition held in America where the two best professional teams play against each other to win the National Football League

"The Super Bowl is next."

"Millions of people tune in every year to watch the exciting championship game of the Super Bowl."

a game that involves two or more players, hitting a rubber ball against the walls of a closed court by a racket

"They played squash."

"They played squash after work to stay fit and clear their minds."

a game played on a table with two players, in which the players use special sticks to hit 16 numbered balls into the holes at the edge of the table

"We played pool."

"We spent the evening at the bar playing a few games of pool and enjoying some friendly competition."

someone who jumps into a body of water as a sport

"The diver jumped."

"The Olympic diver executed a flawless routine, earning a perfect score from the judges for their performance."

the player in charge of a sports team

"The captain led the team."

"The team captain rallied his players with an inspiring speech before the crucial match."

physically active and strong, often with a fit body

"She has an athletic build."

"He has an athletic build because he plays soccer every weekend and goes running on weekdays to stay in shape."

an area of land or water used for races, sports, and other similar activities

"This is a golf course."

"The challenging golf course featured several water hazards and undulating greens."

an area where people can play basketball, tennis, etc.

"The court is empty."

"The basketball court was newly resurfaced with a glossy wooden floor that reflected the bright lights hanging from the ceiling of the gymnasium."

referring to a situation in which teams, players, etc. are trying to defeat their rivals

"He is very competitive."

"The two rival teams engaged in a highly competitive match, each determined to secure victory."

the last match, race, etc., in a competition that determines the champion

"The final was exciting."

"The final match of the tournament was intense with both teams scoring in the last minutes forcing an extra time period to determine the champion."

to give the ball to a teammate by kicking, throwing, etc.

"He will pass the ball."

"The skillful midfielder managed to pass the ball through two defenders to his teammate."

the net attached to a ring in which basketball players try to throw the ball

"He shot the basket."

"The basketball player skillfully shot the ball through the hoop, scoring a perfect basket."

a move made by a player in order to stop their opponent from scoring a goal or point

"The goalie made a save."

"The goalkeeper's incredible save in the last minute prevented the opposing team from winning the match."

someone who plays against another player in a game, contest, etc.

"The opponent was strong."

"The chess player studied his opponent previous matches carefully looking for patterns and weaknesses that he could exploit during their upcoming competition."

a competition in which two players or teams compete against one another such as soccer, boxing, etc.

"The football match ended in a tie."

"The friendly match was supposed to be relaxed but both teams played aggressively because neither wanted to lose even in a non competitive setting."

the outcome or final score of a competition, match, test, etc.

"What is the result?"

"The final result of the championship was a nail-biting victory for the underdog team."

the act of capturing something that has been thrown through the air

"Try to catch the ball."

"The baseball player made an incredible catch by diving across the grass and scooping the ball just inches above the ground before it touched dirt."

to make someone or something not fit or suitable for a particular position or activity

"They disqualify the bad player."

"They decided to disqualify the runner for starting before the official signal was given."