trainer

noun

train·​er ˈtrā-nər 

1

: a person who trains someone or something: such as

a

: one whose occupation is to guide or instruct people in fitness and exercise routines

a personal trainer

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

—Bridgett Riley

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

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

… 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

The two also commented on the mass popularity of the show, even if people in the audience didn’t watch it, their trainers, moms, and daughters certainly have. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 12 Jan. 2026

Before starting the private investment and advisory firm, Hormozi worked as personal trainer and launched fitness companies Gym Launch and Prestige Labs, and a software company ALAN. —Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026

Those trainers, moms, and daughters evidently also crowded in to say hi the night before the ceremony. —Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026

Guests over the age of six staying at the Fasano Boa Vista hotel can book a 50-minute riding lesson priced just over $50—an exceptional value given the caliber of trainers and facilities. —Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trainer

• athletic trainer
• cross-trainer
• elliptical 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