trainer

noun

train·​er ˈtrā-nər 

plural trainers

1

: a person who trains someone or something: such as

a

: someone who oversees the training of people in a specific discipline

When we run the track, Stan Ward, a boxing and conditioning trainer, times us.

—Bridgett Riley

especially : personal trainer

A good trainer does more than count your biceps curls: She suggests the best types of exercises for your goal … and teaches you how to do the moves correctly.

—Sarah Bowen Shea

b

: one who oversees the training of animals

a dog/horse trainer

A trainer uses the clicker to create an auditory cue that marks a particular behavior and then rewards the dog with a treat.

—C. C. Holland

2

: athletic trainer

… he landed so hard that the wind was knocked out of him. He lay writhing on the ground as Herm Schneider, the team trainer, rushed to his side.

—William Nack

3

: something (such as a machine or vehicle) used in training see also elliptical trainer

4

chiefly British : sneaker sense 2

They wore trainers, scuffed and old, with the laces loose and the tongues protruding in defiance at the ankle.

—M. J. Trow

Synonyms of trainer

• coach
• manager

Examples of trainer in a Sentence

the boxer and his trainer

She hired a personal trainer.

Recent Examples on the Web

JeffCo says that assertion is completely inaccurate, and the males listed on those rosters were coaches, trainers, and mascots, not athletes. —Christa Swanson, CBS News, 15 June 2026

Here is what doctors, researchers and trainers are saying about how movement reshapes the mind, and why even a short walk can shift your day. —Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026

Roberts and a trainer came out from the Dodgers’ dugout to check on Wrobleski who hobbled back to the mound, ready to stay in the game. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 June 2026

With the focus of the world affixed to the Kentucky Derby, Devaux became the first female trainer to lead a horse to the winner’s circle in the world’s most famous race. —Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trainer

• athletic trainer
• cross-trainer
• elliptical trainer
• personal trainer

Rhymes for trainer

• gainer
• plainer
• planar
• planer
• saner
• stainer
• strainer
• abstainer
• campaigner
• complainer
• container
• coplanar

Kids Definition

trainer

noun

train·​er ˈtrān-ər 

1

: one that trains

2

: a person who treats the minor ailments and injuries of the members of an athletic team