VO2 max
noun
: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usually intense exercise
Examples of VO2 max in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Brain health is now being treated less like a late-life concern and more like a performance metric alongside VO2 max, lean muscle mass, sleep efficiency, and metabolic health.
—
Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 11 June 2026
Endurance scores assess your overall stamina, wrist power, VO2 max, recovery, and—of course—sleep quality.
—Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 June 2026
At that volume, higher-intensity training turns out to be more time-efficient for building VO2 max and mitochondrial capacity.
—Allison Palmer
updated June 4, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Zone 2 is widely framed as the aerobic base that makes a higher VO2 max possible.
—Allison Palmer
june 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
In the new study, about 17,000 participants from the UK Biobank Cohort Study wore devices to track their exercise habits for one week and performed cycling tests to estimate their VO2 max.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 22 May 2026
However, wearable devices have started to estimate your VO2 max using algorithms that factor in your age, gender, body size, and heart rate metrics, such as your peak and resting heart rates, as well as your level of physical activity.
—Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
So any gain in VO2 max is a win.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 20 Mar. 2026
But the training signal, as indicated by parameters like lactate levels and time spent above 90 percent of VO2 max, is no stronger.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
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Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 11 June 2026
Endurance scores assess your overall stamina, wrist power, VO2 max, recovery, and—of course—sleep quality.
—Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 June 2026
At that volume, higher-intensity training turns out to be more time-efficient for building VO2 max and mitochondrial capacity.
—Allison Palmer
updated June 4, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Zone 2 is widely framed as the aerobic base that makes a higher VO2 max possible.
—Allison Palmer
june 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
In the new study, about 17,000 participants from the UK Biobank Cohort Study wore devices to track their exercise habits for one week and performed cycling tests to estimate their VO2 max.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 22 May 2026
However, wearable devices have started to estimate your VO2 max using algorithms that factor in your age, gender, body size, and heart rate metrics, such as your peak and resting heart rates, as well as your level of physical activity.
—Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
So any gain in VO2 max is a win.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 20 Mar. 2026
But the training signal, as indicated by parameters like lactate levels and time spent above 90 percent of VO2 max, is no stronger.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“VO2 max.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/VO2%20max. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
VO2 max
noun
: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a specified period of usually intense exercise that depends on body weight and the strength of the lungs
called also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, max VO2
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