plural bouts
1
: a period of time during which someone suffers from something (such as an illness or disease)
—often + of
a bout of fever
She struggles with frequent bouts of depression.
—often + with in U.S. EnglishShe survived a 5-year bout with cancer.
a bout with the flu
2
: a short period of time during which something is done or happening
a drinking bout
—often + ofa 4-hour bout of reading
a bout of unemployment
3
: a wrestling or boxing contest
He lost his bout [=fight] with the boxing champion.
Cite this Entry
“Bout.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/bout. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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