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 used in 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

The southerly wind combined with a developing ridge of high pressure will lead to a warm-up this week. —Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025

The battery also lets engineers design the stove to draw more current than even a wiring upgrade might allow, which can bring results such as short warm-up times for the oven and simultaneous use of high power on all four induction hobs. —Ian Baker december 04, New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025

Verb

Meanwhile, the West will begin to warm up with some spots getting close to breaking daily record highs there for next week. —Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 6 Dec. 2025

Simmered with cinnamon, citrus, and cloves, this festive drink is easy to make, endlessly customizable, and guaranteed to warm up any holiday gathering. —Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2025

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