: a spell or period of activity: such as
a
: an athletic match (as of boxing)
lost his bout with the champion
b
: outbreak, attack
a bout of pneumonia
frequent bouts of depression
survived her bout with cancer
c
: session
a drinking bout
a bout of unemployment

Examples of bout in a Sentence

undoubtedly the team's best wrestler, he hasn't lost a bout yet she's currently suffering from a bout of the flu
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Michael McKenzie McCallum was born Dec. 7, 1956, in Kingston, Jamaica, and began boxing as a teenager, racking up as many as 250 amateur bouts before turning pro in 1981. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025 When the odds opened for this bout, Silva was listed as the +250 betting underdog to the -300 Van. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 That card will feature both Men's and Women's Money in the Bank ladder matches, alongside other bouts such as Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena teaming with Logan Paul against World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025 Blackburn, 31, began the season on the injured list due to right knee inflammation, and a bout with the flu interrupted his rehab assignment in what amounted to a setback. Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bout

Word History

Etymology

English dialect, a trip going and returning in plowing, from Middle English bought bend

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bout was in 1575

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bout. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

bout

noun
1
: a spell of activity
nonstop bout of reading
2
: an athletic match
wrestling bout
3
: attack entry 2 sense 3
a bout of measles

More from Merriam-Webster on bout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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