Sports Performance Terminology

noun a state of being awake or being excited or being sexually stimulated

adjective arousing or stimulating

• The researcher studied the relationship between cognitive arousal and decision-making.
• She felt a sudden arousal of excitement when she saw her favorite band perform live.
• His jokes always cause an arousal of laughter in the crowd.
• The painting evoked a sense of emotional arousal in the viewers.

verb to achieve or accomplish something, to reach a goal or objective

• Education is often seen as the key to attain success in life.
• If you study hard, you can attain good grades in school.
• I'm working hard to attain that promotion at work.
• Through hard work and dedication, you can attain your dreams.

noun A sudden and forceful escape from confinement or restraint

adjective Referring to something that is particularly successful or popular

• The company experienced a breakout in sales after implementing a new marketing strategy.
• Did you see the breakout performance by the rookie player last night?
• That party was a total breakout! We had so much fun.
• The artist's breakout album propelled them to stardom.

verb to hesitate or waver in action or purpose

adjective showing uncertainty or hesitation in movement or action

• Despite faltering economic indicators, the government remains optimistic about the country's financial future.
• Her confidence was faltering as she tried to speak in front of the large crowd.
• I could see his faltering attempt to impress her with his jokes.
• The team's chances of winning were faltering as their star player got injured.

noun the act of making something higher or more intense

verb to make or become higher or more intense

• The use of bright colors can heighten the visual appeal of the room.
• Adding more spices can heighten the flavor of the dish.
• Watching a horror movie late at night really heightens the spookiness.
• The tension in the room seemed to heighten as the argument escalated.

verb Toss and turn are both verbs in this context. To toss means to throw something lightly or carelessly, and to turn means to move or rotate around an axis or center.

• The patient would often toss and turn throughout the night due to their discomfort.
• I couldn't sleep last night, I just kept tossing and turning in bed.
• I was so stressed about the exam that I tossed and turned all night.
• The decision weighed heavily on her mind, causing her to toss and turn in bed.

noun the quality or state of being strong, resilient, and able to withstand difficult conditions or situations

• The toughness of the material makes it suitable for use in extreme conditions.
• His mental toughness helped him get through the challenging times.
• She's got some serious toughness about her, nothing seems to faze her.
• The toughness of her exterior hides a gentle heart within.

noun a person who is considered to be below a healthy weight

adjective having a weight lower than what is considered normal or healthy

• The doctor diagnosed the patient as underweight and recommended a nutritionist.
• My friend is so underweight, she needs to eat more burgers.
• She's looking a bit underweight, maybe she should hit the gym more.
• The team's defense was underweight without their star player.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• It is not wise to pin your hopes on one single investment.
• Don't pin your hopes on winning the lottery, it's a long shot.
• I wouldn't pin my hopes on him showing up on time, he's always late.
• She decided to pin her hopes on her education to secure a better future.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• The project seemed to get off to a rocky start due to a lack of clear communication among team members.
• The new restaurant opening got off to a rocky start with long wait times and mixed reviews.
• My morning really got off to a rocky start when I spilled coffee all over my shirt.
• Their relationship got off to a rocky start but eventually smoothed out over time.

adjective describing something that cannot be seen or has no sight

• The unsighted individual relied on a guide dog to navigate the city streets.
• The unsighted person used a cane to get around town.
• The unsighted guy had to feel his way through the dark room.
• The unsighted artist painted a beautiful masterpiece using only their sense of touch.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence

• Accomplishing the project ahead of schedule was a great achievement for the team.
• We're so close to accomplishing our goal, let's keep pushing!
• Dude, we totally crushed it in accomplishing that task!
• She felt like she was climbing a mountain when accomplishing her dreams.