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

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday will issue a decision on the level of interest rates as the United States weathers a months-long bout of elevated inflation set off by the Iran war. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

The country has seen five straight years of inflation above 2%, and that has translated into bouts of shrinkflation in response. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026

In the fight game, substitute opponents are often unwelcome curveballs and exhaustion is both common and expected after the focus of a big bout. — Oskar Garcia, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Though the 49ers didn’t match Harbaugh’s second team by reaching the Super Bowl, that NFC title bout in Seattle was nearly as big. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026

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