Olympian
What it means
An athlete who has earned a place at the Olympic Games.
Reach for it when identifying an athlete who has competed at the Olympic Games
The young Olympian thanked the coaches who supported her training.
Words to choose between 5
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional |
|
| formal |
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playful
Fits when victory deserves celebration
Careful An Olympian need not be a champion.
-
everyday
elite athlete
Fits when exceptional competitive level is the main praise
Careful Many elite athletes are not Olympians.
-
warm
Fits when winning a medal is the relevant distinction
Careful Many Olympians do not win medals.
-
professional
Olympic athlete
Fits when the role should be completely explicit
Careful The phrase is longer but less ambiguous.
-
formal
Games competitor
Fits when participation in a named multi-sport games is meant
Careful The phrase needs Olympic context.
Opposites 3
- noncompetitor
- spectator
- recreational athlete
Common phrases 3
-
former Olympian
A former Olympian opened the town's accessible running track.
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first-time Olympian
The first-time Olympian thanked the community coaches.
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become an Olympian
Years of steady training helped her become an Olympian.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Olympian does not imply a medal, championship, or current participation; those distinctions should be stated separately.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Paul2520, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated