sprint

sprint — verb

1. to move your feet as quickly as possible over a short stretch of ground, whether

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to move your feet as quickly as possible over a short stretch of ground, whether in a competition or because you need to reach a place without delay

Example

Hana sprinted across the finish line a full second ahead of the other runners.

sprinted across [location] for racing context

Reuben sprinted to catch the last train before the station closed for the night.

sprint to catch [vehicle] for hurry context

Common collocations
  • sprint across
  • sprint down
  • sprint towards
  • sprint up
  • sprint to catch
Synonyms
  • dash

    suggests a sudden, brief burst often with urgency, less tied to racing than sprint

  • race

    can be used for longer distances and implies competing against someone, not necessarily at top speed

  • bolt

    emphasises a sudden start, often out of surprise or fear

Antonyms
  • jog

    a slow, steady run; opposite in both speed and effort

Grammar Patterns

sprint + adverb/prepositional phrase

Usage Note

Frequently followed by a directional preposition (across, down, up, towards) or an infinitive of purpose (to catch, to get). Unlike 'run', sprint always implies maximum effort over a short distance.

Common Mistakes

She sprinted for an hour around the park.
She sprinted for two hundred metres around the track.
sprinting implies a short distance at top speed, not a long run.

sprint — noun

Word family

  • sprinter
    nounB1
  • sprinting
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Sprint, dash, race, and bolt all describe fast movement, but they differ in duration, purpose, and register. Sprint specifically means running at maximum effort over a short distance, whether in a formal competition or everyday urgency. Dash is similar but suggests a very short, sudden burst — you dash across a street, but you sprint a 100-metre race. Race implies competing against someone else and works for any distance, even long ones. Bolt emphasises a startled or frightened start — an animal bolts from danger. Run is the general term for any speed or distance. For a learner, sprint is the best word when the key idea is maximum speed and short distance: 'He sprinted the last fifty metres to win the gold medal.'

dash ↗race ↗bolt ↗run ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a sprint to
  • the final sprint
  • break into a sprint
  • make a sprint for

Prepositions

Etymology

Old English / Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Sprint comes from an Old English or Old Norse root meaning 'to spring up or leap.' The word originally described a quick jumping motion. By the 1800s, it had taken on its modern meaning of running at top speed over a short distance, especially in athletic competitions.