Whether you join a gym, play sports with coworkers, or watch the Super Bowl with friends, sports and fitness vocabulary is essential for social integration in English-speaking countries. Many of these words have surprising pronunciations, with silent letters, unexpected stress patterns, and consonant clusters that can trip up even advanced learners.
This guide covers more than 50 of the most common sports and fitness words organized by context: the gym, popular sports, actions and movements, and competition vocabulary. You will learn the correct American English pronunciation for each word, discover common mistakes, and practice with interactive cards. Let's get started.
At the Gym: Equipment and Exercises
The gym is full of vocabulary that sounds different from how it looks on paper. From silent letters to tricky consonant clusters, these are the words you need to know before your next workout.
Equipment Words
- treadmill /ˈtrɛdmɪl/: Two syllables with stress on the first: TRED-mil. Starts with the consonant cluster /tr/. The first part comes from "tread" (to walk).
- dumbbell /ˈdʌmbɛl/: The B in "dumb" is completely silent! Say DUM-bell, not "DUMB-bell." Two syllables with stress on the first.
- barbell /ˈbɑːrbɛl/: Two syllables: BAR-bell. Unlike dumbbell, the B at the end of "bar" is pronounced because it is part of a different syllable boundary.
Exercise Words
- squat /skwɑːt/: One syllable. The QU combination produces /kw/, so the word starts with three consonant sounds: /skw/. Rhymes with "hot" but with /skw/ at the front.
- lunge /lʌndʒ/: One syllable. Rhymes with "sponge." The ending sound is /dʒ/ (the J sound), not /ɡ/.
- plank /plæŋk/: One syllable. The NK at the end is pronounced /ŋk/, the same sound as in "think" or "bank." The /æ/ vowel is the same as in "cat."
- muscle /ˈmʌsəl/: The C is completely silent! Say MUS-ul, not "MUS-kul." Two syllables. This word sounds identical to "mussel" (the shellfish).
- exercise /ˈɛksərsaɪz/: Three syllables with stress on the first: EK-ser-size. The X makes a /ks/ sound and the final syllable has the /aɪ/ diphthong.
- stretching /ˈstrɛtʃɪŋ/: Two syllables starting with the consonant cluster /str/, one of the hardest clusters in English. The middle sound is /tʃ/ (the CH sound).
Types of Workouts
- yoga /ˈjoʊɡə/: Starts with /j/ (the Y sound), not /dʒ/ (the J sound). Two syllables: YO-guh. The first vowel is the /oʊ/ diphthong.
- Pilates /pɪˈlɑːtiːz/: Stress is on the second syllable: pih-LAH-teez. Named after Joseph Pilates (a German-born fitness instructor), and the final syllable is pronounced /tiːz/, not silent.
- aerobics /ɛˈroʊbɪks/: Stress on the second syllable: eh-RO-biks. Three syllables total. The /oʊ/ diphthong is in the stressed syllable.
- circuit /ˈsɜːrkɪt/: As in "circuit training." Two syllables: SIR-kit. The "cir" is pronounced /sɜːr/ (like "sir"), not /saɪr/ or /kɪr/.
- warmup /ˈwɔːrmʌp/: Two syllables: WARM-up. The /ɔːr/ vowel is the same as in "more."
- cooldown /ˈkuːldaʊn/: Two syllables: COOL-down. The second syllable contains the /aʊ/ diphthong.
Body Parts in the Gym
- biceps /ˈbaɪsɛps/: Stress on the first syllable: BY-seps. The C is pronounced /s/. This word is the same in singular and plural (one biceps, two biceps).
- triceps /ˈtraɪsɛps/: Same pattern as biceps: TRY-seps. Stress on first syllable.
- abs /æbz/: Short for "abdominals." One syllable. Note the final /z/ sound, not /s/.
- calf /kæf/: The L is completely silent! Say "KAF," not "KALF." This refers to the back of the lower leg. The plural "calves" is /kævz/.
Popular Sports
Americans love talking about sports. Whether it is weekend plans, office small talk, or watching a game at a bar, you need to know these words and how to say them correctly.
Major American Sports
- soccer /ˈsɑːkər/: The American term for what most of the world calls football. Two syllables with stress on the first: SAH-ker.
- basketball /ˈbæskɪtbɔːl/: Three syllables: BAS-kit-ball. The middle syllable is reduced.
- baseball /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/: Two syllables: BAYS-ball. The first syllable has the /eɪ/ diphthong.
- football /ˈfʊtbɔːl/: In America, this means American football (with the oval ball), not soccer. Two syllables: FOOT-ball.
- volleyball /ˈvɑːlibɔːl/: Three syllables: VAH-lee-ball. Stress on the first syllable.
- tennis /ˈtɛnɪs/: Two syllables with stress on the first: TEN-is.
Other Sports
- wrestling /ˈrɛslɪŋ/: The T is completely silent! Say RES-ling, not "REST-ling." Two syllables.
- swimming /ˈswɪmɪŋ/: Two syllables starting with the /sw/ cluster: SWIM-ing.
- athlete /ˈæθliːt/: This word has only two syllables: ATH-leet. A very common mistake is adding a third syllable and saying "ATH-uh-leet." The /θl/ cluster is challenging, but resist the urge to insert a vowel between them.
- marathon /ˈmærəθɑːn/: Three syllables with stress on the first: MAR-uh-thon. The TH produces the /θ/ sound (voiceless, as in "think").
- triathlon /traɪˈæθlɑːn/: Three syllables with stress on the second: try-ATH-lon. Contains the same tricky /θl/ cluster as "athlete."
Sports Organization
- league /liːɡ/: One syllable. The "ue" at the end is completely silent. Rhymes with "fatigue" (minus the first syllable).
- tournament /ˈtɜːrnəmənt/: Three syllables: TUR-nuh-ment. Stress on the first syllable. The vowel /ɜːr/ is the same as in "bird."
- championship /ˈtʃæmpiənʃɪp/: Four syllables: CHAM-pee-un-ship. Stress on the first syllable.
- referee /ˌrɛfəˈriː/: Stress is on the last syllable: ref-uh-REE. This is unusual because most English words have stress earlier in the word.
- coach /koʊtʃ/: One syllable. The vowel is the /oʊ/ diphthong and the word ends with the /tʃ/ sound.
Actions and Movements
When you talk about sports, you need verbs to describe what happens. Many of these action words have consonant clusters or sounds that require careful attention.
- catch /kætʃ/: One syllable. Ends with the /tʃ/ sound. The vowel is /æ/ (as in "cat").
- throw /θroʊ/: One syllable. Starts with the consonant cluster /θr/, combining the voiceless TH with R. This is one of the hardest clusters for non-native speakers.
- kick /kɪk/: One syllable. Simple but make sure the vowel is the short /ɪ/, not /iː/.
- hit /hɪt/: One syllable. Short /ɪ/ vowel. In American English, the final T may be released or unreleased.
- score /skɔːr/: One syllable. Starts with the /sk/ cluster. The vowel is /ɔːr/ (as in "more").
- tackle /ˈtækəl/: Two syllables: TAK-ul. The /æ/ vowel is in the stressed syllable.
- dribble /ˈdrɪbəl/: Two syllables: DRIB-ul. Starts with the /dr/ cluster.
- sprint /sprɪnt/: One syllable. Starts with the three-consonant cluster /spr/. Ends with /nt/.
- jog /dʒɑːɡ/: One syllable. The J produces the /dʒ/ sound (like the beginning of "judge"). The vowel is /ɑː/.
Results and Competition
After the game, you need to talk about who won, who lost, and what happened. These words cover the language of competition and results.
- win /wɪn/: One syllable. Short /ɪ/ vowel. Simple but important to distinguish from "when" /wɛn/.
- beat /biːt/: One syllable. Long /iː/ vowel. "Beat" means to defeat someone: "We beat them 3 to 1."
- defeat /dɪˈfiːt/: Two syllables with stress on the second: dih-FEET. More formal than "beat."
- champion /ˈtʃæmpiən/: Three syllables: CHAM-pee-un. Starts with /tʃ/ (the CH sound).
- medal /ˈmɛdəl/: Two syllables: MED-ul. Sounds identical to "meddle" (to interfere). In American English, the D may become a flap.
- trophy /ˈtroʊfi/: Two syllables: TRO-fee. The vowel in the first syllable is the /oʊ/ diphthong.
- injury /ˈɪndʒəri/: Three syllables: IN-juh-ree. The middle consonant is /dʒ/ (the J sound).
- stamina /ˈstæmɪnə/: Three syllables: STAM-ih-nuh. Stress on the first syllable. All three syllables have different vowel qualities.
- endurance /ɪnˈdʊrəns/: Three syllables with stress on the second: in-DOOR-uns. The stressed vowel is /ʊr/ (as in "tour").
Common Gym and Sports Phrases
Knowing individual words is important, but you also need to use them in phrases that sound natural. Here are some common expressions you will hear and use in the gym and on the playing field.
At the Gym
| Phrase | IPA | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| How many reps? | /haʊ ˈmɛni rɛps/ | How many repetitions of an exercise? |
| What's your personal best? | /wɑːts jɔːr ˈpɜːrsənəl bɛst/ | What is your best-ever performance? (PR = personal record) |
| Let's warm up first. | /lɛts wɔːrm ʌp fɜːrst/ | Let's do light exercise before the main workout. |
| Do you want to spot me? | /duː jə wɑːnt tə spɑːt miː/ | Can you stand nearby to help if I cannot lift the weight? |
| I need to cool down. | /aɪ niːd tə kuːl daʊn/ | I need to do light activity after a hard workout. |
| How many sets left? | /haʊ ˈmɛni sɛts lɛft/ | How many groups of repetitions do you have remaining? |
During a Game
| Phrase | IPA | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Game on! | /ɡeɪm ɑːn/ | The game (or competition) is starting! |
| Game over! | /ɡeɪm ˈoʊvər/ | The game has ended. |
| Good game. | /ɡʊd ɡeɪm/ | Sportsmanship phrase said after a match. |
| What's the score? | /wɑːts ðə skɔːr/ | What is the current score? |
| Who's winning? | /huːz ˈwɪnɪŋ/ | Which team or person is ahead? |
Pronunciation Traps: Silent Letters in Sports Words
Silent letters are one of the biggest challenges in English pronunciation. Sports vocabulary has several important examples that you need to memorize.
| Word | Silent Letter | Correct IPA | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| wrestling | T | /ˈrɛslɪŋ/ | Saying "REST-ling" |
| muscle | C | /ˈmʌsəl/ | Saying "MUS-kul" |
| dumbbell | B (in "dumb") | /ˈdʌmbɛl/ | Saying "DUMB-bell" with a B sound |
| calf | L | /kæf/ | Saying "KALF" |
| league | UE | /liːɡ/ | Saying "LEE-goo" |
Pronunciation Traps: Stress Pattern Surprises
English word stress can be unpredictable, and placing the stress on the wrong syllable can make you hard to understand. Pay special attention to these sports words.
| Word | Correct Stress | IPA | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| athlete | First syllable | /ˈæθliːt/ | Adding a third syllable: "ATH-uh-leet" |
| referee | Last syllable | /ˌrɛfəˈriː/ | Stressing the first syllable: "REF-uh-ree" |
| Pilates | Second syllable | /pɪˈlɑːtiːz/ | Stressing the first or adding a silent E |
| aerobics | Second syllable | /ɛˈroʊbɪks/ | Stressing the first syllable |
| endurance | Second syllable | /ɪnˈdʊrəns/ | Stressing the first or third syllable |
| triathlon | Second syllable | /traɪˈæθlɑːn/ | Stressing the first syllable |
Quick Reference Table: 50+ Sports and Fitness Words
| Word | IPA | Syllables | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| treadmill | /ˈtrɛdmɪl/ | 2 | /tr/ consonant cluster |
| dumbbell | /ˈdʌmbɛl/ | 2 | Silent B in "dumb" |
| barbell | /ˈbɑːrbɛl/ | 2 | Stress on first syllable |
| squat | /skwɑːt/ | 1 | /skw/ cluster |
| lunge | /lʌndʒ/ | 1 | Ends with /dʒ/ |
| plank | /plæŋk/ | 1 | NK = /ŋk/ |
| biceps | /ˈbaɪsɛps/ | 2 | C = /s/ |
| triceps | /ˈtraɪsɛps/ | 2 | Same pattern as biceps |
| abs | /æbz/ | 1 | Final /z/ sound |
| calf | /kæf/ | 1 | Silent L |
| muscle | /ˈmʌsəl/ | 2 | Silent C |
| exercise | /ˈɛksərsaɪz/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| stretching | /ˈstrɛtʃɪŋ/ | 2 | /str/ cluster |
| yoga | /ˈjoʊɡə/ | 2 | Starts with /j/, not /dʒ/ |
| Pilates | /pɪˈlɑːtiːz/ | 3 | Stress on second syllable |
| aerobics | /ɛˈroʊbɪks/ | 3 | Stress on second syllable |
| circuit | /ˈsɜːrkɪt/ | 2 | "cir" = /sɜːr/ |
| warmup | /ˈwɔːrmʌp/ | 2 | /ɔːr/ vowel |
| cooldown | /ˈkuːldaʊn/ | 2 | /aʊ/ diphthong |
| soccer | /ˈsɑːkər/ | 2 | American term for football |
| basketball | /ˈbæskɪtbɔːl/ | 3 | Middle syllable reduced |
| baseball | /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/ | 2 | /eɪ/ diphthong in first syllable |
| football | /ˈfʊtbɔːl/ | 2 | Means American football in US |
| volleyball | /ˈvɑːlibɔːl/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| tennis | /ˈtɛnɪs/ | 2 | Stress on first syllable |
| wrestling | /ˈrɛslɪŋ/ | 2 | Silent T |
| swimming | /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ | 2 | /sw/ cluster |
| athlete | /ˈæθliːt/ | 2 | Only 2 syllables, NOT 3 |
| marathon | /ˈmærəθɑːn/ | 3 | TH = /θ/ |
| triathlon | /traɪˈæθlɑːn/ | 3 | Stress on second syllable |
| league | /liːɡ/ | 1 | Silent UE |
| tournament | /ˈtɜːrnəmənt/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| championship | /ˈtʃæmpiənʃɪp/ | 4 | Stress on first syllable |
| referee | /ˌrɛfəˈriː/ | 3 | Stress on LAST syllable |
| coach | /koʊtʃ/ | 1 | /oʊ/ diphthong |
| catch | /kætʃ/ | 1 | /æ/ vowel + /tʃ/ ending |
| throw | /θroʊ/ | 1 | /θr/ cluster |
| kick | /kɪk/ | 1 | Short /ɪ/ vowel |
| score | /skɔːr/ | 1 | /sk/ cluster |
| tackle | /ˈtækəl/ | 2 | /æ/ vowel |
| dribble | /ˈdrɪbəl/ | 2 | /dr/ cluster |
| sprint | /sprɪnt/ | 1 | /spr/ cluster |
| jog | /dʒɑːɡ/ | 1 | J = /dʒ/ |
| champion | /ˈtʃæmpiən/ | 3 | Starts with /tʃ/ |
| medal | /ˈmɛdəl/ | 2 | Sounds like "meddle" |
| trophy | /ˈtroʊfi/ | 2 | /tr/ cluster + /oʊ/ diphthong |
| injury | /ˈɪndʒəri/ | 3 | /dʒ/ in the middle |
| stamina | /ˈstæmɪnə/ | 3 | Stress on first syllable |
| endurance | /ɪnˈdʊrəns/ | 3 | Stress on second syllable |
| defeat | /dɪˈfiːt/ | 2 | Stress on second syllable |
Practice Strategies for Sports Vocabulary
1. Watch American Sports with Subtitles
Turn on an NBA, NFL, or MLS game with English subtitles. Pay attention to how commentators pronounce player positions, actions, and sports terms. You will hear these words used at natural speed in real context.
2. Use the Words at the Gym
If you work out at a gym, try asking about equipment or exercises in English. Phrases like "How many reps should I do?" or "Can I use the treadmill?" are perfect for real-world practice.
3. Practice Consonant Clusters
Sports vocabulary is full of consonant clusters: /str/ in stretching, /spr/ in sprint, /θr/ in throw, /skw/ in squat. Practice these clusters slowly at first, then speed up. Start with just the cluster sound before adding the rest of the word.
4. Focus on Silent Letters
Make flashcards for the silent-letter words in this guide: wrestling (silent T), muscle (silent C), dumbbell (silent B), calf (silent L), and league (silent UE). These have to be memorized, as there is no reliable rule that predicts them.
5. Practice with the Word Cards
Use the interactive word practice cards throughout this guide to hear correct pronunciations. Focus on one section at a time and master those words before moving to the next section.
Key Takeaways
- Silent letters appear in many sports words: The T in "wrestling," the C in "muscle," the B in "dumbbell," and the L in "calf" are all silent. You need to memorize these individually.
- Stress patterns can surprise you: "Athlete" has only two syllables (not three). "Referee" has stress on the last syllable. "Pilates" has stress on the second syllable.
- Consonant clusters are everywhere: Words like "sprint" (/spr/), "stretching" (/str/), "throw" (/θr/), and "squat" (/skw/) require you to produce multiple consonant sounds in quick succession.
- American English has its own sports vocabulary: "Soccer" (not football), "football" (American football), and cultural references like the Super Bowl are important for understanding American sports conversations.
- Practice in context: Learning words in phrases ("How many reps?" or "What's the score?") is more effective than memorizing isolated words.
For more pronunciation practice, explore our interactive pronunciation exercises where you can work on the specific sounds that appear in sports vocabulary, from the /θ/ in "athlete" and "marathon" to the /dʒ/ in "jog" and "injury."