warm-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈwȯrm-ˌəp 

variants or less commonly warmup

1

: the act or an instance of warming up

also : a preparatory activity or procedure

2

: a suit for exercise or casual wear consisting of a jacket or sweatshirt and pants

—often used in plural

called also warm-up suit

warm up

2 of 2

verb

warmed up; warming up; warms up

intransitive verb

: to engage in exercise or practice especially before entering a game or contest

broadly : to get ready

Synonyms of warm-up

Noun

• prelude
• preliminary

Examples of warm-up in a Sentence

Noun

the couple's initial exchange of insults proved to be only a warm-up for their booze-fueled fight later that night

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Made from a breathable, sweat-wicking fabric, these versatile pants are perfect for light activities like long walks, warm-ups, running errands, and busy travel days. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026

The setup is as simple as plugging it in — there’s no warm-up time, and cleanup is just as easy thanks to the removable tray and included cleaning brush. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026

Verb

But with the Valkyries needing an offensive spark early in the third quarter, the 20-year-old guard was told to get on the stationary bike to warm up. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

DeMarco said Sabally would warm up before tip-off and was a game-time decision for the matchup. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for warm-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

warm-up

noun

ˈwȯr-ˌməp

1

: the act or an instance of warming up

2

: a practice or set of exercises done before a game, contest, or workout

Medical Definition

warm-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈwȯr-ˌməp 

: the act or an instance of warming up

also : a procedure (as a set of exercises) used in warming up

warm up

2 of 2 intransitive verb

(ˈ)wȯr-ˈməp 

: to engage in preliminary exercise (as to stretch the muscles)

important to warm up properly before running