1
gymnastics
jim-ˈna-stiks 
plural in form but singular in construction
plural in form but singular in construction
a
: physical exercises designed to develop strength and coordination
b
: a competitive sport in which individuals perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control
2
: an exercise in intellectual or artistic dexterity
My earlier philosophic study had been an intellectual gymnastic.—
John Dewey
John Deweymental gymnastics
3
: a physical feat or contortion
… did not lend itself to the gymnastics of break dancing.—Tony Karon
Tony KaronExamples of gymnastic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Audiences are demanding more and more gymnastic, acrobatic things.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 8 Feb. 2026
Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Emma Diaz grew up in Kendall with aspirations of competing in gymnastics at the Olympics.
—James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gymnastic
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Adjective
In posts shared on X and YouTube, the Institute explained that the gymnastic maneuvers shown in recent videos and the natural walking gait demonstrated at CES 2026 are produced by the same learning framework, rather than separate systems, reports Humanoids Daily.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Audiences are demanding more and more gymnastic, acrobatic things.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
During home meets, the moment the UCLA women’s gymnastics team transitions to the mat for floor exercise, the crowd is hyped.
—Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Emma Diaz grew up in Kendall with aspirations of competing in gymnastics at the Olympics.
—James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gymnastic
Cite this Entry
“Gymnastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gymnastic. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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