schoolyard
noun
school·yard
ˈskül-ˌyärd 
plural schoolyards
: the area next to or surrounding a school where students typically play games or sports
He organized a marbles tournament that could take place only in the schoolyard during recess.—
Jerry Spinelli
Jerry Spinelli… there was a schoolboyish quality to the way he did it—as if he were trying to show that he was the biggest, toughest boy in the schoolyard.—Elizabeth Drew
—often used before another nounElizabeth Drewschoolyard games
a schoolyard bully
Examples of schoolyard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Clips from the premiere quickly spread through social media, with the show’s signature crude humor proving a hit—many were satisfied to see schoolyard taunts used against a president known for punching down.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
The mock-heroic plenitude—a page, say, on Waddington’s jigsaw map of the British Isles, or four pages on schoolyard fights, including a close study of the resident bully—is a way of insisting on one’s importance and denying it at the same time.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
The Trust for Public Land has created 350 community schoolyards in the country.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 4 June 2025
Those who plan smartly will have the schoolyard secured and the parents' shopping cart along with it.
—Sin To, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for schoolyard
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.
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
The mock-heroic plenitude—a page, say, on Waddington’s jigsaw map of the British Isles, or four pages on schoolyard fights, including a close study of the resident bully—is a way of insisting on one’s importance and denying it at the same time.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
The Trust for Public Land has created 350 community schoolyards in the country.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 4 June 2025
Those who plan smartly will have the schoolyard secured and the parents' shopping cart along with it.
—Sin To, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for schoolyard
Cite this Entry
“Schoolyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolyard. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share