1
: a short bar with weights at each end that is used usually in pairs for exercise
2
: a stupid person : dummy
Examples of dumbbell in a Sentence
I feel like a dumbbell for making such a stupid mistake.
no, you're not a dumbbell—this is one of the hardest courses the school offers
Recent Examples on the Web
Use light dumbbells, resistance bands, or your body weight and perform 8 to 12 reps for each of major muscle group.
—
Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Sell any unused, yet intact, workout equipment through your local marketplace, and don’t forget about the smaller, less bulky gear like dumbbells and stability balls.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
This can be as simple as bodyweight movements, resistance bands or dumbbells, focusing on compound/functional movements like squats, pushes and pulls.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
So instead of just doing the traditional dumbbell chest press in all your push workouts, for example, switch it up with other variations, like the incline press or the decline press.
—SELF, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dumbbell
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Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Sell any unused, yet intact, workout equipment through your local marketplace, and don’t forget about the smaller, less bulky gear like dumbbells and stability balls.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
This can be as simple as bodyweight movements, resistance bands or dumbbells, focusing on compound/functional movements like squats, pushes and pulls.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
So instead of just doing the traditional dumbbell chest press in all your push workouts, for example, switch it up with other variations, like the incline press or the decline press.
—SELF, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dumbbell
Cite this Entry
“Dumbbell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumbbell. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dumbbell
noun
dumb·bell
ˈdəm-ˌbel 
1
: a bar with weights at the ends that is usually used for exercise or building strength
2
: a stupid person : dummy entry 1
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