hat trick
noun
People
Did you know?
It may surprise some people to learn that the term "hat trick" as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat. Eventually, the phrase was applied to a single player scoring three goals in any goal sport and later to three victories or successes in sports as different as horse racing and golf. The phrase finally broadened to include a string of three important successes or achievements in any field.
Examples of hat trick in a Sentence
Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
The Wild got a first-period hat trick from Matt Boldy, who set up the overtime winner, along with 30 saves from goalie Filip Gustavsson to head to the Olympic break with a 34-14-10 record.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
In 1960, Roger scored a hat trick in the Americans’ opening win over Sweden.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Kim, now 25, is set to go to Milan for her third Olympic Games, with the opportunity to defend her Olympic halfpipe title once again for a hat trick.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hat trick
Cite this Entry
“Hat trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hat%20trick. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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