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

• 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

Judkins’ success made the game manageable for Dillon Gabriel and allowed Cleveland to be in the bout to the end. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025

The Mayflower Athletic Conference bout was held at Xaverian Brothers High School, which has served as Tri-County’s home venue all season while its own facilities in Franklin undergo renovations. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025

If the first half wasn’t wild enough, the second half blew the doors off their primetime divisional bout. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Jeffrey Rignall died in 2000 In the wake of Gacy’s attack, Rignall became depressed and withdrawn, suffering from bouts of vomiting and losing nearly 40 pounds, per The Courier Journal. —Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 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