barbell

noun

bar·​bell ˈbär-ˌbel 

plural barbells

1

: a bar with adjustable weighted disks attached to each end that is used for exercise and in weight lifting

2

: something that resembles a barbell

especially : an ornament that consists of a small, thin metal rod with a ball or bead at each end and that is worn on the body as a piercing

Five years later, he has had eight ear piercings, a barbell on his lower lip and another silver barbell through his tongue.

—Anne Llamada Estonillo

Examples of barbell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For fixed income, client portfolios will often adopt a barbell approach, combining shorter-term and floating-rate securities to hedge against inflation concerns. —Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

But what about more complicated shapes, like a barbell whose handle narrows at the center? —Quanta Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025

Brownback takes a barbell approach when investing in securitized products. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025

Next to her, daughter Hope, 4, sits on her own mat, holding her own set of mini barbells. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for barbell

• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel
• dispel

Kids Definition

barbell

noun

bar·​bell ˈbär-ˌbel 

: a bar with adjustable weighted disks attached to each end that is used for exercise and in weight lifting