bout

\ ˈbau̇t

How to pronounce bout (audio)

\

Definition of bout

: 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 Example Sentences Learn More about bout

Keep scrolling for more

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 The 15-round bout was a split decision, but Charles won the crown that summer. — Jason Hoffman, Cincinnati.com, "Decade in review: The 10 biggest Cincinnati collegiate/pro sports stories from the 2010s," 27 Dec. 2019 But these bouts of harshness are usually briefand the researchers wanted to know how the sharks might cope with more chronic exposure. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Acidifying Oceans Could Corrode the Tooth-Like Scales on Shark Skin," 21 Dec. 2019 Experts say that a bout of the flu can be quite unpleasant. — oregonlive, "The flu and you: holiday safety tips (No. 1: Get a shot)," 20 Dec. 2019 The bantamweight title bout was part of the main card at T-Mobile Arena. — Nolan King, MMA Junkie, "UFC 245 results: Amanda Nunes earns decision over game Germaine de Randamie," 15 Dec. 2019 Saturday's bout was the first time the two heavyweights met since Ruiz won a technical knockout during the seventh round in New York in June. — Amir Vera, CNN, "Anthony Joshua wins rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. in Saudi Arabia 'Clash on the Dunes'," 7 Dec. 2019 Chances are, whether the s#@t is a loss, an accident, a setback, a bout of depression, or a bad breakup, pretty much everyone has been through something this year. — Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, "How to Talk About Race at Thanksgiving," 26 Nov. 2019 Though the bout is ostensibly just for fun, the resentment coursing between the men quickens each lunge, riposte and parry. — Celia Wren, Washington Post, "Games, both old and new, power this reboot of ‘Edward II’," 5 Nov. 2019 There are bouts of extreme isolation and hopelessness, and bad news can be fatal for those who don’t seek intervention. — Megan Cassidy, SFChronicle.com, "Suicides in California prisons rise despite decades of demands for reform," 29 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bout.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about bout

Dictionary Entries near bout

boussingaultite

Statistics for bout

Last Updated

9 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Bout.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bout. Accessed 18 January 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for bout

bout

noun

English Language Learners Definition of bout

: a period of time during which someone suffers from something (such as an illness or disease)

: a short period of time during which something is done or happening

: a wrestling or boxing contest

See the full definition for bout in the English Language Learners Dictionary

bout

\ ˈbau̇t

\

Kids Definition of bout

1 : a contest of skill or strength a wrestling bout

2 : attack entry 2 sense 4, outbreak a bad bout of the flu

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

vicarious

experienced by way of someone else

Test Your Vocabulary

The Eponym Quiz

Which is the best synonym of bowdlerize?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.