warm-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈwȯrm-ˌəp 

variants or less commonly warmup

1

: the act or an instance of warming up

also : a preparatory activity or procedure

2

: a suit for exercise or casual wear consisting of a jacket or sweatshirt and pants

—often plural

called also warm-up suit

warm up

2 of 2

verb

warmed up; warming up; warms up

intransitive verb

: to engage in exercise or practice especially before entering a game or contest

broadly : to get ready

Synonyms of warm-up

Noun

• prelude
• preliminary

Examples of warm-up in a Sentence

Noun

the couple's initial exchange of insults proved to be only a warm-up for their booze-fueled fight later that night

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But Farm Aid is coming up on September 26, and Young booked two warm-up shows with Willie Nelson in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Philadelphia to shake off the rust and prep for the annual charity concert. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026

For attendees, the plunge or sauna session isn’t a warm-up to the real plan. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

Verb

Extra Racks Extra oven racks made of heavy steel or heavy pots or pizza stones warming in the oven disrupt the flow of hot air and absorb heat, causing an oven to take longer to warm up. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026

Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen is likely out for the postseason, after injuring his right shoulder warming up in the bullpen Saturday. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for warm-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

warm-up

noun

ˈwȯr-ˌməp

1

: the act or an instance of warming up

2

: a practice or set of exercises done before a game, contest, or workout

Medical Definition

warm-up

1 of 2 noun

ˈwȯr-ˌməp 

: the act or an instance of warming up

also : a procedure (as a set of exercises) used in warming up

warm up

2 of 2 intransitive verb

(ˈ)wȯr-ˈməp 

: to engage in preliminary exercise (as to stretch the muscles)

important to warm up properly before running