1
: an area in a Roman amphitheater for gladiatorial combats
2
a
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
b
: a building containing an arena
3
a
: a sphere of interest, activity, or competition
the political arena
b
: a place or situation for controversy
in the public arena
Synonyms
Examples of arena in a Sentence
Congress became an arena of opposing views.
the toughest political arena in the world
The economic arena has been dominated by that country.
Recent Examples on the Web
Saade, who is half-Palestinian, had previously slammed the EBU’s decision to ban Palestinian flags from the arena, alongside the flags of non-competing nations.
—
Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Also joining Mad World are two European executives with experience in the international licensing arena.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for arena 
Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Also joining Mad World are two European executives with experience in the international licensing arena.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for arena
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arena.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near arena
Cite this Entry
“Arena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arena. Accessed 16 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
arena
noun
are·na
ə-ˈrē-nə 
1
: an enclosed area used for public entertainment
2
: a building containing an arena
3
: a field of activity
the political arena
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share