Hobby vs. Sport — What's the Difference?

A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing sports, or pursuing other amusements.

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 done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure

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

A small horse or pony.

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

A migratory Old World falcon with long, narrow wings, catching dragonflies and birds on the wing.

A usually challenging activity undertaken for amusement

An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.

Fun; amusement

Any of several small falcons of the genus Falco, formerly used for catching small birds or game.

Mockery; jest

An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time.

An object of mockery, jest, or play

(horses) An extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles, also known as the Irish Hobby

A joking mood or attitude

Any of four species of small falcons in the genus Falco, especially Falco subbuteo.

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

A small, strong-winged European falcon (Falco subbuteo), formerly trained for hawking.

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

A strong, active horse, of a middle size, said to have been originally from Ireland; an ambling nag.

(Informal) A pleasant companion

A stick, often with the head or figure of a horse, on which boys make believe to ride.

A person who lives a jolly, extravagant life.

A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion.

A gambler at sporting events.

An auxiliary activity

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

A child's plaything consisting of an imitation horse mounted on rockers; the child straddles it and pretends to ride

(Obsolete) Amorous dalliance; lovemaking.

Small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds

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;