Active vs. Athletic — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 17, 2024
Active refers to regular engagement in various physical activities, while athletic specifically pertains to participating in sports or physical activities at a competitive level or with a high degree of skill and fitness.
Difference Between Active and Athletic
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Active describes a general state of being involved in physical movements or activities. This can include daily exercises, recreational sports, or even just maintaining a physically engaging lifestyle. Athletic, on the other hand, implies a higher level of physical prowess, often associated with individuals who engage in sports or physical competitions with a notable degree of skill and training.
Active individuals engage in various activities for health and leisure. They might go for walks, do home workouts, or participate in non-competitive sports. Athletic individuals, by contrast, often follow rigorous training regimens and participate in organized sports or competitions, highlighting a more intense physical commitment.
Being active doesn't necessarily require structured routines; it emphasizes regular movement and general physical exertion. Athletic, however, denotes a more systematic approach to physical fitness, with training schedules, performance goals, and often professional coaching.
Active is a broad term encompassing anyone who moves regularly to maintain fitness and health. Athletic is more specialized, focusing on those who not only maintain fitness but also excel in physical disciplines and often compete at various levels.
An active lifestyle is essential for overall well-being and can include casual sports, outdoor activities, and daily exercises. An athletic lifestyle is more demanding, involving specific sports, advanced training techniques, and often competitive events.
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While active individuals aim for general health benefits and personal enjoyment from physical activities, athletic individuals often strive for peak performance, measurable improvements, and competitive success in their chosen sports or activities.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Regular physical engagement
High-level skill and competition
Level of Intensity
Moderate
High
Training Routine
Informal or varied
Structured and rigorous
Participation
Casual or recreational
Competitive or professional
Fitness Focus
General well-being
Performance and excellence
Compare with Definitions
Active
Regularly moving or exercising.
She leads an active lifestyle with daily walks and yoga.
Athletic
Pertaining to organized sports.
Athletic events like marathons require rigorous preparation.
Active
Engaged in various physical tasks.
He stays active by gardening and biking.
Athletic
Skilled in sports or physical activities.
She is very athletic, excelling in both basketball and track.
Active
Consistently involved in physical activities.
Staying active helps improve overall health.
Athletic
Physically fit and strong.
His athletic build is a result of years of training.
Active
Participating in physical exercises regularly.
An active person often enjoys outdoor activities.
Athletic
Competitive in nature with sports.
He has an athletic background, having played soccer at a collegiate level.
Active
Engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits
Although he was seventy he was still robust and active
Athletic
Involving advanced physical training.
The athletic training program prepares students for high-level competitions.
Active
Pursuing an occupation or activity at a particular place or in a particular way
Sexually active teenagers
A politically active student body
Tigers are active mainly at night
The artist was active in the 1920s
Athletic
Of or befitting athletics or athletes.
Active
(of a thing) working; operative
The old watermill was active until 1960
Athletic
Characterized by or involving physical activity or exertion
An athletic lifestyle.
An athletic child.
Active
Denoting a voice of verbs in which the subject is typically the person or thing performing the action and which can take a direct object (e.g. she loved him as opposed to the passive form he was loved).
Athletic
Physically strong and well-developed; muscular
An actor with an athletic build.
Active
An active form of a verb.
Athletic
(not comparable) Having to do with athletes.
Are you a member of the American Athletic Association?
Active
Being in physical motion
Active fish in the aquarium.
Athletic
Physically active.
Since you're such an athletic person, you may wish to consider joining.
Active
Functioning or capable of functioning.
Athletic
Having a muscular, well developed body, being in shape.
You have such an athletic build—you must work out regularly.
Active
Marked by energetic activity; busy
Active stock and bond markets.
Spent an active day sightseeing.
Athletic
An attribute of a motion or play which requires fine physical ability.
The center fielder made an athletic play to snatch the ball from over the fence.
Active
Involving or requiring physical exertion and energy
An active workout at the gym.
Athletic
(video games) Of a level in a Super Mario game: with an emphasis on platforming challenge, often involving precise jumps between floating platforms above a bottomless pit, and having upbeat background music.
Active
Being in a state of action; not quiescent
Active hostilities along the border.
Athletic
A muscular, large–boned person, in the typology of Ernst Kretschmer.
Active
Erupting or liable to erupt; not dormant
An active volcano.
Athletic
Of or pertaining to athletes or to the exercises practiced by them; as, athletic games or sports.
Active
Marked by or involving direct participation
Took an active interest in politics.
Played an active role on the committee.
Athletic
Befitting an athlete; strong; muscular; robust; vigorous; as, athletic Celts.
Active
Currently in use or effect
An active membership.
Athletic
Relating to or befitting athletics or athletes;
Athletic facilities
Active
Openly acknowledged or expressed
An active dislike of the new neighbors.
Athletic
Vigorously active;
An acrobatic dance
An athletic child
Athletic playing
Gymnastic exercises
Active
Producing an intended action or effect
Active ingredients.
Athletic
Having a sturdy and well proportioned body;
An athletic build
Active
Indicating that the grammatical subject of a verb is performing or causing the action expressed. Used of a verb form or voice.
Active
Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.
Active
Of or relating to the management of an investment portfolio by continually making investment decisions based on new information as opposed to maintaining a predetermined strategy or reproducing the returns of a market or index.
Active
Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.
Active
Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.
Active
Being on full military duty and receiving full pay.
Active
The active voice.
Active
A construction or form in the active voice.
Active
A participating member of an organization
Union actives.
Active
Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
Certain active principles
The active powers of the mind
Active
Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
An active child or animal
Active
In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
Active laws
Active hostilities
Active
Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors.
Active
Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy
An active man of business
Active mind
Active zeal
Active
Requiring or implying action or exertion
Active employment or service
Active scenes
Active
Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative
An active rather than a speculative statesman
Active
Brisk; lively.
An active demand for corn
Active
Implying or producing rapid action.
An active disease
An active remedy
Active
About verbs.
Active
Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
Active
Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
Active
Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
Active
Eligible to be processed by a compiler or interpreter.
Active
(electronics) Not passive.
Active
(gay sexual slang) of a homosexual man enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.
Active
A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.
Active
(electronics) Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).
Active
Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting; - opposed to passive, that receives; as, certain active principles; the powers of the mind.
Active
Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal.
Active and nervous was his gait.
Active
In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; - opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct; as, active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano.
Active
Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; - opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert; as, an active man of business; active mind; active zeal.
Active
Requiring or implying action or exertion; - opposed to sedentary or to tranquil; as, active employment or service; active scenes.
Active
Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; - opposed to speculative or theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman.
Active
Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn.
Active
Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease; an active remedy.
Active
Applied to a form of the verb; - opposed to passive. See Active voice, under Voice.
Active
Chemical agent capable of activity
Active
The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb;
`The boy threw the ball' uses the active voice
Active
A person devoted to the active life
Active
Tending to become more severe or wider in scope;
Active tuberculosis
Active
Engaged in or ready for military or naval operations;
On active duty
The platoon is combat-ready
Review the fighting forces
Active
Disposed to take action or effectuate change;
A director who takes an active interest in corporate operations
An active antagonism
He was active in drawing attention to their grievances
Active
Taking part in an activity;
An active member of the club
He was politically active
The participating organizations
Active
Characterized by energetic activity;
An active toddler
Active as a gazelle
An active man is a man of action
Active
Exerting influence or producing an effect;
An active ingredient
Active
Full of activity or engaged in continuous activity;
An active seaport
An active bond market
An active account
Active
In operation;
Keep hope alive
The tradition was still alive
An active tradition
Active
Of the sun; characterized by a high level activity in sunspots and flares and radio emissions
Active
Expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor:
Hemingway favors active constructions
Active
Expressing action rather than a state of being; used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')
Active
(of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt;
Active volcanos
An extinct volcano
Active
Producing activity or change
Active
Engaged in full-time work;
Active duty
Though past retirement age he is still active in his profession
Active
Being in physical motion;
Active fish in the aquarium
Active
Characterized by energetic bodily activity;
Tennis is an active sport
A very physical dance performance
Active
Energetic and lively in movement.
The children are always active, running around the playground.
Common Curiosities
Can someone be both active and athletic?
Yes, someone can be active in daily life and also participate in athletic sports.
What does being active mean?
Being active means regularly engaging in physical activities to maintain health and fitness.
Do active people need a structured exercise routine?
Not necessarily; active people can have varied, informal physical activities.
Can an athletic person be inactive at times?
Yes, athletes might have off-seasons or rest periods, but they typically maintain a baseline of fitness.
Is walking considered an athletic activity?
Walking is generally considered an active but not necessarily athletic activity.
Is athletic ability necessary for being active?
No, being active doesn't require the same level of skill as being athletic.
How is athletic different from active?
Athletic implies a higher level of skill and involvement in competitive sports, whereas active refers to general physical engagement.
What types of training do athletic people undergo?
Athletic individuals often have rigorous, structured training programs for specific sports.
Can non-competitive activities be athletic?
Typically, athletic activities involve competition, but non-competitive advanced training can also be considered athletic.
What are the benefits of being active?
Benefits include improved cardiovascular health, stronger muscles, and better mental health.
Does being athletic require special diets?
Often, athletic individuals follow specific diets to optimize performance and recovery.
What are the benefits of being athletic?
Athletic benefits include peak physical fitness, enhanced performance, and competitive achievements.
What types of activities do active people engage in?
Active people may walk, cycle, do yoga, or participate in casual sports.
Do active people compete in sports?
Active individuals might compete casually, but not at the level of athletic individuals.
Is being active enough for good health?
Being active is generally sufficient for maintaining good health, though some might aspire to more athletic goals.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
