bout

noun

ˈbau̇t 

: 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

Synonyms of bout

• tournament
• competition
• event
• game
• match
• contest

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

Although Powell managed to return, his status on Friday night will be monitored, considering this isn't his first bout with that type of setback. —Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Nov. 2025

Even a mild bout of the common cold could lead to people feeling exhausted. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025

His most recent offseason was injury-plagued, with two months of recovery after spraining his knee ligament during the Lakers' first-round playoff loss to Minnesota followed by a painful bout of sciatica — pain in the nerves running from the buttocks and down the back of the legs. —CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025

In the past couple of years, hope has faded into a bout of hopelessness between the Penguins and Pittsburgh. —Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025

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

Rhymes for bout

• clout
• doubt
• drought
• flout
• gout
• grout
• kraut
• lout
• out
• pout
• rout
• scout

Kids Definition

bout

noun

ˈbau̇t 

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