trainer

noun

train·​er ˈtrā-nər 

plural trainers

1

: a person who trains someone or something: such as

a

: someone who oversees the training of people in a specific discipline

When we run the track, Stan Ward, a boxing and conditioning trainer, times us.

—Bridgett Riley

especially : personal trainer

A good trainer does more than count your biceps curls: She suggests the best types of exercises for your goal … and teaches you how to do the moves correctly.

—Sarah Bowen Shea

b

: one who oversees the training of animals

a dog/horse trainer

A trainer uses the clicker to create an auditory cue that marks a particular behavior and then rewards the dog with a treat.

—C. C. Holland

2

: athletic trainer

… he landed so hard that the wind was knocked out of him. He lay writhing on the ground as Herm Schneider, the team trainer, rushed to his side.

—William Nack

3

: something (such as a machine or vehicle) used in training see also elliptical trainer

4

chiefly British : sneaker sense 2

They wore trainers, scuffed and old, with the laces loose and the tongues protruding in defiance at the ankle.

—M. J. Trow

Synonyms of trainer

• coach
• manager

Examples of trainer in a Sentence

the boxer and his trainer

She hired a personal trainer.

Recent Examples on the Web

While attending Columbia College Chicago and pursuing a BFA in musical theater from 2018-2022, Infiniti formed a K-pop cover dance group called Duple Dance Crew and worked as a kickboxing trainer. —Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 13 Mar. 2026

Personal trainers, specialist therapists, and yoga gurus are brought in on request—particularly recommended is the one-on-one reformer pilates session with physiotherapist Tobina Marx, or an osteopathy treatment with Emma Wightman, spirited in from her practice in nearby Stockbridge. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2026

At that point, (I) called over my trainer and talked about it with my caddie Mark (Urbanek). —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026

Irish trainers, most notably the great Willie Mullins, have trained the most festival winners in 14 of the last 15 years. —Ian King, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trainer

• athletic trainer
• cross-trainer
• elliptical trainer
• personal trainer

Rhymes for trainer

• gainer
• plainer
• planar
• planer
• saner
• stainer
• strainer
• abstainer
• campaigner
• complainer
• container
• coplanar

Kids Definition

trainer

noun

train·​er ˈtrān-ər 

1

: one that trains

2

: a person who treats the minor ailments and injuries of the members of an athletic team