: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usually intense exercise

Examples of VO2 max in a Sentence

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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 The wellness packages include daily classes and tracking of such key fitness markers as VO2 max, gait and vertical jump as well as one-on-one sessions focusing on mindset, nutrition and fitness. Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026 What makes this especially interesting is that heart health presents differently across genders, making features like cardiovascular age and VO2 max tracking not just cool data points, but potentially life-changing ones. Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Many Olympians—Nordic skiers, for instance—pay a lot of attention to a measure called their VO2 max—the highest volume of oxygen your body can consume and use during a minute of intense exercise. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026 VO2 max is a key marker of your cardiorespiratory fitness. Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 1 Feb. 2026 More recently, older adults who practiced Japanese walking for five months showed improvements in resting blood pressure, lower-limb muscle strength and VO2 max, a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance, according to a 2025 study by a different group of scientists. Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025 VO2 max Testing your VO2 max is not exclusive to elite athletes. Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

volume of O2 maximum

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of VO2 max was in 1970

Browse Nearby Words

VO
VOA

Cite this Entry

“VO2 max.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/VO2%20max. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

Medical Definition

: 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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