sumo

noun

su·mo ˈsü-(ˌ)mō

: a Japanese form of wrestling in which a contestant loses if he is forced out of the ring or if any part of his body except the soles of his feet touches the ground

Examples of sumo in a Sentence

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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.

Curry is largely there for comic relief, swanning in with a bevy of beauties, challenging Bosley (Bill Murray) to a sumo match, and, sadly, getting murdered by the pool, thus depriving us of Curry’s magnetic presence for the rest of the film. — ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 And while, as Hunt observes, foreigners are coming to dominate the sport, sumo fans skew conservative and elderly. — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026 In that sense, manga is similar to other Japanese cultural forms that eventually gained global audiences, such as ukiyo-e, kabuki, or even sumo. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 17 Mar. 2026 Little Miss Sumo is the story of 20-year-old Hiyori Kon, one of the few female amateur sumo wrestlers competing in Japan. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sumo

Word History

Etymology

Japanese sumō

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sumo was in 1893

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Browse Nearby Words

Sumner line

sumo

sump

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sumo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sumo. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sumo

noun

su·mo ˈsü-mō

: a Japanese form of wrestling in which a contestant loses if forced out of the ring or if any part of the body except the soles of the feet touches the ground

Etymology

Japanese

sumo

noun

Examples of sumo in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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