Meaning & use
extreme sports
Last updated
Meanings
nounplural
Sports that involve speed, height, or danger, such as snowboarding, surfing, or rock climbing.
Grammar: Takes a plural verb: Extreme sports are exciting. For one activity, say 'an extreme sport'.
Patterns
- do extreme sports
- take part in extreme sports
- extreme sports such as ...
Extreme sports like snowboarding and surfing attract millions of fans.
He got into extreme sports after trying rock climbing on holiday.
Safety gear is essential in extreme sports.
nounsingular
A single activity of this kind, often used before another noun.
Grammar: Use the singular form before a noun: an extreme sports event.
Patterns
- an extreme sport
- extreme sports event
- extreme sports equipment
Base jumping is one extreme sport that requires special training.
The city hosted an extreme sports festival last summer.
Word forms
| singular | extreme sport |
|---|
Common combinations
- extreme sports enthusiast
- My cousin is an extreme sports enthusiast who tries a new activity every year.
- extreme sports event
- The extreme sports event drew a huge crowd.
- take up extreme sports
- She took up extreme sports after college.
- extreme sports equipment
- Good extreme sports equipment can be expensive.
Synonyms and how they differ
- adventure sports
- A slightly softer term that emphasizes excitement and travel rather than danger.
- action sports
- Often used for sports like skateboarding and BMX; it focuses on style and tricks more than risk.
- dangerous sports
- A plain descriptive phrase rather than a category name; it sounds more negative.
Word family
- extreme sport noun
- One such activity.
- extreme athlete noun
- A person who takes part in extreme sports.
Commonly confused: extreme sports or extreme sport?
extreme sports vs extreme sport
Use the singular for one activity and the plural for the general category. 'Extreme sports is fun' is wrong; say 'Extreme sports are fun'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Extreme sports' is a plural noun, so it takes 'are'. The singular form 'extreme sport' would need 'is' and no 'an' before the plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “extreme sports”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.