cardio

1 of 2

adjective

car·​dio ˈkär-dē-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce cardio (audio)
: cardiovascular sense 2
cardio exercises

cardio

2 of 2

noun

: cardiovascular exercise
30 minutes of cardio daily

Examples of cardio in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Using an exercise bike that is ergonomically designed can help minimize the likelihood of incurring an injury and allow the user to have longer cardio sessions. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025 The stock surged in early September after the company posted strong phase 3 trial results for its lead cardio drug called Aficamten, a cardiac myosin inhibitor, which showed an improvement in exercise capacity in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Pia Singh, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Ex-Canucks cardio king Anthony Beauvillier cost a second-round pick for the Washington Capitals to acquire, doesn’t hit like Sherwood and had scored 13 goals in over 60 games at the time of the trade — a total Sherwood has already eclipsed in 20 fewer games played this season. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026 The World Health Organization recommends that all adults, no matter their age, should aim for at least 150 minutes of cardio activities per week, and strength training twice a week. Laura Baehr, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cardio

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1972, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardio was in 1972

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cardio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardio. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Medical Definition

cardio

1 of 2 adjective
car·​dio ˈkärd-ē-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce cardio (audio)
: cardiovascular sense 2
cardio exercises
worked out on cardio machines

cardio

2 of 2 noun
: cardiovascular exercise
30 minutes of cardio daily
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!