Pastime vs. Sport — What's the Difference?

An activity chosen or done for relaxation.

Activities that foster team spirit and individual skills.

A diversion from daily routine.

Structured physical activities with objectives of winning.

Activities done for pleasure rather than work.

An activity involving physical exertion and skill.

A leisure activity done for enjoyment.

Competitive physical activities governed by rules.

Any hobby or activity that passes time pleasantly.

Activities aimed at improving physical fitness and competitive skills.

An activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment rather than work; a hobby

Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, through casual or organized participation, improve one's physical health.

An activity that occupies one's spare time pleasantly

An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

Something which amuses, and serves to make time pass agreeably.

Often sports (used with a sing. verb) Such activities considered as a group

To sport; to amuse oneself

A usually challenging activity undertaken for amusement

That which amuses, and serves to make time pass agreeably; sport; amusement; diversion; as, that great American pastime, baseball.

Fun; amusement

To sport; to amuse one's self.

Mockery; jest

A diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly);

An object of mockery, jest, or play

A joking mood or attitude

One known for the manner of one's acceptance of rules, especially of a game, or of a difficult situation

(Informal) A fair-minded person, especially one who accepts teasing or difficult situations well

(Informal) A pleasant companion

A person who lives a jolly, extravagant life.

A gambler at sporting events.

(Biology) An organism or a part of an organism that shows a marked change from the parent type, typically as a result of mutation.

(Obsolete) Amorous dalliance; lovemaking.

To play or frolic

To joke or trifle

To wear or have on one's body, especially prominently or ostentatiously

To have as a prominent feature

Of, relating to, or appropriate for sports

Designed or appropriate for outdoor or informal wear

(countable) Any activity that uses physical exertion or skills competitively under a set of rules that is not based on aesthetics.

(countable) A person who exhibits either good or bad sportsmanship.

(countable) Somebody who behaves or reacts in an admirably good-natured manner, e.g. to being teased or to losing a game; a good sport.

(obsolete) That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement.

(obsolete) Mockery, making fun; derision.

(countable) A toy; a plaything; an object of mockery.

(uncountable) Gaming for money as in racing, hunting, fishing.

A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the species; an abnormal variety or growth. The term encompasses both mutants and organisms with non-genetic developmental abnormalities such as birth defects.

A sportsman; a gambler.

One who consorts with disreputable people, including prostitutes.

An amorous dalliance.

A friend or acquaintance (chiefly used when speaking to the friend in question)

(obsolete) Play; idle jingle.

(intransitive) To amuse oneself, to play.

(intransitive) To mock or tease, treat lightly, toy with.

(transitive) To display; to have as a notable feature.

(reflexive) To divert; to amuse; to make merry.

(transitive) To represent by any kind of play.

To practise the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races.

To assume suddenly a new and different character from the rest of the plant or from the type of the species; said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal.

(transitive) To close (a door).

That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement.

Mock; mockery; contemptuous mirth; derision.

That with which one plays, or which is driven about in play; a toy; a plaything; an object of mockery.

Play; idle jingle.

Diversion of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing, racing, games, and the like, esp. when money is staked.

A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the species; an abnormal variety or growth. See Sporting plant, under Sporting.

A sportsman; a gambler.

To play; to frolic; to wanton.

To practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races.

To trifle.

To divert; to amuse; to make merry; - used with the reciprocal pronoun.

To represent by any kind of play.

To exhibit, or bring out, in public; to use or wear; as, to sport a new equipage.

To give utterance to in a sportive manner; to throw out in an easy and copious manner; - with off; as, to sport off epigrams.

An active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition

The occupation of athletes who compete for pay

Someone who engages in sports

(biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration

(Maine colloquial) temporary summer resident of inland Maine

Verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously);

Wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner;

Play boisterously;

Examples include playing musical instruments, crafting, or bird-watching.

No, reading is considered a pastime because it lacks the physical and competitive aspects of sports.

A pastime is any activity that someone engages in for pleasure rather than professional or serious purposes.

Yes, certain activities like gaming can transition into sports if they adopt competitive elements and structured rules.

A sport is typically defined by its physical demands, competitive nature, and rule-based structure.

Common characteristics include physical exertion, competition, and adherence to formal rules.

Yes, hobbies are a form of pastime since they are primarily for personal enjoyment.

The lack of formal competition and less emphasis on physical exertion typically makes an activity a pastime.

Yes, most sports require some form of training or practice to improve skills.

Pastimes can significantly improve mental health by providing relaxation and a break from routine.

Not all; sports like golf and tennis can be individual-based.