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

Mollaei, the defending champion, said he was ordered to lose a bout to avoid a potential gold medal match against an Israeli opponent. —ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium bout is Fury’s first in the UK since 2022. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026

Jones is considered one of the best UFC fighters of all time, owning a 28-1-1 record, which includes his last bout with Stipe Miocic, knocking him out to take the heavyweight title belt. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026

Even before this fall’s bout of flight cancellations during the government shutdown, Amtrak had set records for passengers and revenue in fiscal 2024, then again in 2025. —Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 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