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 of bout

• 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

MomTok is setting the record straight about its latest bouts of drama, including Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette controversy, in the upcoming season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026

The earliest bout of cosmic cannibalism involved the collision with and consumption of the dwarf galaxy Gaia-Enceladus about 10 billion years ago. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Furthermore, the Television guitarist has been in the ICU seven times, including for two bouts of sepsis, plus for complications in his kidneys and liver. — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026

Tete lost that first championship opportunity when he was stopped by fellow South African Moruti Mthalane in their IBF flyweight title bout. — CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

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