arena

noun

are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
1
: an area in a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats
2
a
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
b
: a building containing an arena
3
a
: a sphere of interest, activity, or competition
the political arena
b
: a place or situation for controversy
in the public arena

Examples of arena in a Sentence

Congress became an arena of opposing views. the toughest political arena in the world The economic arena has been dominated by that country.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The photo chosen is one of Swift taking a selfie with the three members of the Wales family backstage at the arena, overlaid over a photo of Swift in full performance mode. Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025 The arena is home to the Washington Wizards basketball and Washington Capitals hockey teams and can seat just under 21,000 people. Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Jan. 2025 Before entering the political arena, Carter, who passed away at age 100 on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, managed his family's peanut farm in Plains, Georgia, according to the National Park Service (NPS). Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 29 Dec. 2024 There was energy in the arena that hadn’t been there all season. Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arena 

Word History

Etymology

Latin harena, arena sand, sandy place

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of arena was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near arena

Cite this Entry

“Arena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arena. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

arena

noun
are·​na ə-ˈrē-nə How to pronounce arena (audio)
1
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
2
: a building containing an arena
3
: a field of activity
the political arena

More from Merriam-Webster on arena

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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