1
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
undoubtedly the team's best wrestler, he hasn't lost a bout yet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in seizures
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
she's currently suffering from a bout of the flu
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bouts
The United States and Iran traded strikes overnight in one of the most intense bouts of conflict since the increasingly tenuous ceasefire between the two countries began in April.
—
Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 3 June 2026
Breaking activity into shorter bouts throughout the day (for example, three 10-minute walks instead of one 30-minute walk) may be more manageable for people with busy schedules but just as beneficial.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 June 2026
During bouts of shouting at his box and tight groundstrokes, Svajda stayed steady and stopped Cerúndolo’s momentum, breaking him at the first time of asking in the fifth set, and again, immediately, when Cerúndolo fought back.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 30 May 2026
Her sister had been through cervical cancer and two bouts of breast cancer before passing away from the disease.
—Ayren Jackson-Cannady, SELF, 29 May 2026
Management teams should enact formal processes to regularly evaluate venturing possibilities, ensuring their organizations consider a strategic mix that addresses long-term goals while preparing for the bouts of uncertainty and change that often characterize business conditions.
—Serguei Netessine, Fortune, 28 May 2026
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said after the hearing that the sentence was a tribute to the former teens and their families, who endured multiple bouts of court testimony and revisiting serious trauma to bring the case to a conclusion.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
But there's very little that could stop next month's bouts from happening.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Though a pair of TVs, one airing Fox News, the other one the evening’s preliminary bouts—featuring American welterweight Kevin Holland—do occasionally distract him.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026
Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 3 June 2026
Breaking activity into shorter bouts throughout the day (for example, three 10-minute walks instead of one 30-minute walk) may be more manageable for people with busy schedules but just as beneficial.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 1 June 2026
During bouts of shouting at his box and tight groundstrokes, Svajda stayed steady and stopped Cerúndolo’s momentum, breaking him at the first time of asking in the fifth set, and again, immediately, when Cerúndolo fought back.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 30 May 2026
Her sister had been through cervical cancer and two bouts of breast cancer before passing away from the disease.
—Ayren Jackson-Cannady, SELF, 29 May 2026
Management teams should enact formal processes to regularly evaluate venturing possibilities, ensuring their organizations consider a strategic mix that addresses long-term goals while preparing for the bouts of uncertainty and change that often characterize business conditions.
—Serguei Netessine, Fortune, 28 May 2026
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said after the hearing that the sentence was a tribute to the former teens and their families, who endured multiple bouts of court testimony and revisiting serious trauma to bring the case to a conclusion.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
But there's very little that could stop next month's bouts from happening.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Though a pair of TVs, one airing Fox News, the other one the evening’s preliminary bouts—featuring American welterweight Kevin Holland—do occasionally distract him.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bouts
Noun
-
In all, Mesa made 13 JUCO tournaments before transitioning to a four-year school.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Federer extends his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Overall, the operation netted 1,139 arrests, 984 firearm seizures, and 615 criminal indictments, according to an FBI document reviewed by Fox News Digital.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
If a fetus becomes infected, toxoplasmosis can lead to a range of health problems, including premature birth, low birth weight, jaundice or other liver problems, abnormal blood counts, rashes, eye disease, developmental delays, seizures, brain calcification, and in extreme cases, stillbirth.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Nobody knows how often adverse events occur, said Kristen Nixon, a Johns Hopkins University researcher who has studied posts about weight loss drugs on Reddit, a popular online forum.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
McCormick has booked several authors already for events at the bookshop, including local author Angela Cervantes, who has written three books for American Girl.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Each one would need to stock more interceptors and operate with escort ships to fend off attacks.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
Simple steps like version pinning or requiring a cool-down period before new library releases are available to developers can go a very long way toward blunting the supply chain attacks that are about to become far more common.—
Philip Martin,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The Trojans, who’ve lost four of their last five games, must beat Lamar University on Saturday to keep their season alive.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Pending the rest of the weekend’s games, Summit FC stands in eighth place in the NWSL ahead of a 35-day break.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
If a fetus becomes infected, toxoplasmosis can lead to a range of health problems, including premature birth, low birth weight, jaundice or other liver problems, abnormal blood counts, rashes, eye disease, developmental delays, seizures, brain calcification, and in extreme cases, stillbirth.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
In some cases, surgery is required to remove an adrenal tumor, or radiation therapy is needed to shrink a growing pituitary tumor.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Pressure is a privilege and, in our case, the players took those competitions seriously.—
Zach McMahon,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
The 23-year-old has performed when called upon in the cup competitions and was expected, before Donnarumma’s sudden arrival, to compete to be a starting Premier League goalkeeper.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Gabriel came straight into the first team in 2020, but Saliba had to wait, with three loan spells back to France after arriving from Saint-Etienne in 2019.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
At the same time, severe OCD, intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable crying spells took a major toll on Cust’s mental health.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bouts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bouts. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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