bout

noun

ˈbau̇t 

: a spell or period of activity: such as

a

: an athletic match (as of boxing)

lost his bout with the champion

b

: outbreak, attack

a bout of pneumonia

frequent bouts of depression

survived her bout with cancer

c

: session

a drinking bout

a bout of unemployment

Synonyms

• tournament
• competition
• event
• game
• match
• contest

Examples of bout in a Sentence

undoubtedly the team's best wrestler, he hasn't lost a bout yet

she's currently suffering from a bout of the flu

Recent Examples on the Web

The bout is one of the final matches of Cena's own retirement tour. —Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

The boxer was 40-9 during his career and had epic bouts with Oscar De La Hoya, Mickey Ward and Floyd Mayweather Jr. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025

The film highlights mundane details of camaraderie behind the scenes of every fight, emphasizing the bonds between the fighters, who would often root for one another after their bouts were over. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025

After Catherine survives another bout of cancer, the two decide to take an indefinite sabbatical and travel the world. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

English dialect, a trip going and returning in plowing, from Middle English bought bend

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bout

• clout
• doubt
• drought
• flout
• gout
• grout
• kraut
• lout
• out
• pout
• rout
• scout

Kids Definition

bout

noun

ˈbau̇t 

1

: a spell of activity

nonstop bout of reading

2

: an athletic match

wrestling bout

3

: attack entry 2 sense 3

a bout of measles