What does "sled" mean?
A small, light vehicle with runners, used recreationally, mostly by children, for sliding down snow-covered hills; no draft animal pulls it.
Sled
/slɛd/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small, light vehicle with runners, used recreationally, mostly by children, for sliding down snow-covered hills; no draft animal pulls it.
- Grammar: sled is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: sledge, barge, blade, boat.
- Useful contrasts: ascend, climb, snowboards.
- Usage evidence: Pete came coasting down the hill on his sled.
How to use "sled"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sled" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sled" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sled" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sled" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sled" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sledge" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sled", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small, light vehicle with runners, used recreationally, mostly by children, for sliding down snow-covered hills; no draft animal pulls it.
"The child zoomed down the hill on his sled."
- 2 Acronym of Single Large Expensive Disk. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
- 3 a vehicle mounted on runners and pulled by horses or dogs; for transportation over snow wordnet
- 4 A vehicle on runners, used for conveying loads over the snow or ice, and often pulled by sled dogs. Canada, US
""Mush!" he yelled at the dogs pulling the sled."
- 5 A snowmobile. Canada, US, slang
"We saw them go by on their sleds this afternoon, headed toward their grandfather's quarter section."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A car (automobile) or truck, usually called so with the implication of sledlike traits: heavy, low-slung, and prone to going fast but not braking or cornering particularly well. Canada, US, figuratively, slang
"Near-synonyms: land yacht, boat"
Verb
- 1 To ride a sled. intransitive
- 2 ride (on) a sled wordnet
- 3 To convey on a sled. transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 Abbreviation of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. US, abbreviation, alt-of
"“Chief Justice John W. Kittredge is aware of an incident involving Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein. At this time, SLED is on the scene and will begin investigating as soon as the fire has been contained,” the court said Saturday in the statement."
Antonyms
Example
"Pete came coasting down the hill on his sled."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sled"?
Common synonyms include: sledge, barge, blade, boat, bobsled, bobsledded.
How do you use "sled" in a sentence?
Pete came coasting down the hill on his sled.
How do you pronounce "sled"?
Pronounced /slɛd/.
Etymology
From Middle English sledde, from Middle Dutch sledde or Middle Low German sledde (compare Dutch slee, slede, Low German Sleden), from Proto-Germanic *slidô (compare Saterland Frisian sliede, German Schlitten, Norwegian slede). Doublet of sleigh; also related to slide.