sumo

American

[soo-moh] / ˈsu moʊ /

noun

a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant wins by forcing his opponent out of the ring or by causing him to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet, contestants usually being men of great height and weight.

sumo British

/ ˈsuːməʊ /

noun

the national style of wrestling of Japan, the object of which is to force one's opponent to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet or to step out of the ring

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

sumoist noun

Etymology

Origin of sumo

1895–1900; < Japanese sumō, earlier suma(f )u to wrestle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Danylo Yavhusishyn fled the war in Ukraine to become a sumo wrestler in Japan and his rapid rise has taken him to one step away from reaching the ancient sport's highest rank.

From Barron's

After years on the sidelines, sumo is back centre stage as part of Japan's soft power arsenal overseas.

From Barron's

"I was able to win, thanks to you," Yavhusishyn said in a winner's address to the roaring, sold-out crowd at the Kokugikan sumo arena.

From Barron's

On the dohyo, the sacred mound of straw, sand, and clay where sumo wrestlers ply their trade, the most unlikely star in the sport goes by Aonishiki.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sure enough, my PB&J comes out of the bag looking like a sumo wrestler used it as a sparring partner.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023