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

• competition
• contest
• event
• game
• match
• matchup
• meet
• sweepstakes
• sweep-stake
• tournament
• tourney

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

But, if both men get through their respective challenges, a potential meeting between the pair could become a viable option, especially if light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira turns his attention to heavyweight after his upcoming bout with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

Teddi Mellencamp's health journey:TV personality undergoes 'pretty painful' surgery to treat melanoma Mellencamp's health revelation comes a little over a year after the reality TV star underwent surgery to treat her bout with skin cancer. —Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025

The reason is another bout of avian bird flu that has decimated flocks of birds, some 20 million or more nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2025

The regular habit of long, easy runs, such as Lamar’s daily three-to-four-mile bouts, would likely be appropriate for getting the body ready for this type of performance. —Jordan Smith, SELF, 7 Feb. 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

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