work·out
ˈwərk-ˌau̇t 
1
: a practice or exercise to test or improve one's fitness for athletic competition, ability, or performance
2
: a test of one's ability, capacity, stamina, or suitability
3
: an undertaking or plan intended to resolve a problem of indebtedness especially in lieu of bankruptcy or foreclosure proceedings
worked out; working out; works out
1
a
: to bring about by labor and exertion
… work out your own salvation …—
Philippians 2:12 (King James Version)
Philippians 2:12 (King James Version)
b
: to solve (something, such as a problem) by a process of reasoning or calculation
c
: to devise, arrange, or achieve by resolving difficulties
worked out an agreement
d
: develop
… the final situation is not worked out with psychological profundity …—Leslie Rees
Leslie Rees2
: to discharge (a debt) by labor
3
: to exhaust (something, such as a mine) by working
1
a
: to prove effective, practicable, or suitable
How this will actually work out I don't know …—Milton Kotler
Milton Kotler
b
: to amount to a total or calculated figure
—used with at or to
2
: to engage in a workout
works out regularly at the gym
Synonyms of workout
Examples of workout in a Sentence
Noun
The team had a good workout at practice today.
Her workout includes running on the treadmill and lifting weights.
Verb
by putting our heads together, we were able to work out the problem
worked out a compromise between the warring factions
Recent Examples on the Web
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Online, this generally meant that creators encouraged their followers to pair a healthy habit with a fun or existing one (scrolling while walking on the treadmill, for example) or to just link two good behaviors together (folding laundry between breaks of your at-home workout).
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 18 May 2026
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Tong worked out of the bullpen Friday night, pitching behind left-hander Sean Manaea, and right-hander Tobias Myers, who pitched as the opener.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for workout
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Without a Combine invite, Montgomery had joined a workout at the University of Toledo to be evaluated by scouts.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Online, this generally meant that creators encouraged their followers to pair a healthy habit with a fun or existing one (scrolling while walking on the treadmill, for example) or to just link two good behaviors together (folding laundry between breaks of your at-home workout).
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 18 May 2026
Verb
From live-streaming to video to audiobooks to work out classes; podcasting was Spotify’s first major step away from music.
—Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Tong worked out of the bullpen Friday night, pitching behind left-hander Sean Manaea, and right-hander Tobias Myers, who pitched as the opener.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for workout
Cite this Entry
“Workout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workout. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
workout
1 of 2 noun
work·out
ˈwər-ˌkau̇t
: a practice or exercise to test or improve one's fitness especially in athletics
work out
2 of 2 verbˌwər-ˈkau̇t,
ˈwər-
1
: to bring about by effort or by clearing up difficulties
2
a
: solve
work out a math problem
b
: develop sense 2
work out a plan
3
: to be successful
our plans for reorganization worked out
4
: to perform athletic exercises to improve one's fitness
working out at the gym
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