boxing

IPA/ˈbɒksɪŋ/
KK[bˈɑksɪŋ]IPA/ˈbɑːksɪŋ/

boxing — noun

1. the sport of trying to beat an opponent with punches while both fighters wear th

1.nounB1
Definition

the sport of trying to beat an opponent with punches while both fighters wear thick gloves

Example

At sixteen, Hana joined a local boxing club after school.

collocation: boxing club

On Friday nights, Grandpa still watches boxing with his old gym friends.

pattern: watch boxing

Common collocations
  • boxing club
  • boxing coach
  • boxing gloves
  • boxing match
  • boxing ring
Synonyms
  • pugilism

    formal or old-fashioned term for boxing, often seen in writing rather than everyday speech

  • prizefighting

    older term, mainly for professional boxing done for money

  • combat sport

    broader category that includes boxing as well as wrestling, judo, and similar sports

Grammar Patterns

do boxing

watch boxing

take up boxing

Usage Note

Usually uncountable and common after verbs such as do, watch, and take up. Use boxer for the athlete, and phrases like boxing gloves or boxing match for equipment and events.

Common Mistakes

My son plays boxing every Saturday.
My son does boxing every Saturday.
this sport normally follows 'do', not 'play'.
We watched a boxing on TV.
We watched boxing on TV.
the sport name is uncountable; for one event, say 'a boxing match'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For this sense, boxing names the sport itself. Martial arts is much broader, because it covers many fighting systems and sports, so boxing is only one type of martial art. Wrestling is another combat sport, but it centers on holding, throwing, and pinning instead of punching. Sparring is controlled practice, often part of training, so it is only one activity inside boxing and other combat sports. Prizefighting is an older word, usually for professional boxing done for money, and it can sound historical or dramatic. You can say 'Noa started boxing at university,' but 'The team did light sparring before the match.'

boxing ↗martial artswrestling ↗sparring ↗prizefighting

Common collocations

Nouns

  • boxing club
  • boxing coach
  • boxing gloves
  • boxing match
  • boxing ring
  • boxing champion

Phrases

  • do boxing
  • watch boxing
  • take up boxing
  • train in boxing

Prepositions

  • in boxing

Etymology

English

Boxing was formed in English from the verb box in its fighting sense, together with the ending -ing. The sport name appears in print by the early 1700s. As rules, gloves, and ring fighting became standard, boxing remained the usual English name for the sport.