dumbbell

American  

[duhm-bel] / ˈdʌmˌbɛl /

noun

dumbbells plural

1. a gymnastic apparatus consisting of two wooden or metal balls connected by a short bar serving as a handle, used as a weight for exercising.

2. a stupid person.

   Synonyms:

   dimwit, blockhead, fool, ignoramus, dunce

---

dumbbell British  

/ ˈdʌmˌbɛl /

noun

1. gymnastics weightlifting an exercising weight consisting of a single bar with a heavy ball or disc at either end

2. a small wooden object shaped like this used in dog training for the dog to retrieve

3. slang a fool

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dumbbells
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dumbbell

First recorded in 1705–15; dumb + bell ¹

Explanation

A dumbbell is a type of weight you might see at a gym. You typically lift a dumbbell with one hand — unless it's too heavy and you accidentally drop it on your foot. Ouch! The short, handheld exercise weights are known as dumbbells, while the larger weights that require two hands for lifting are barbells. If you're new to weightlifting, you might want to start doing bicep curls with light dumbbells. The name comes from the bar once used to ring a church bell: dumbbells resemble these ringers, although they're dumb, or "silent." Dumbbell is also used in a derogatory way to mean "stupid person."

Example Sentences

Within and around this region lie several popular deep-sky objects, including the Dumbbell Nebula, the Ring Nebula, the North America Nebula, and the Veil Nebula.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

The Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 27, holds a special place in astronomy history as the first planetary nebula ever discovered.

From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026

Dumbbell workouts: Dumbbell exercises build muscle strength and can also help improve balance and bone density.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 20, 2021

Now what’s in the works for the Bridgehead instead is a set of oddball housing and office spaces, including a pair of buildings covered in wallpaper designs and known as The Fair-Haired Dumbbell.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2014

His other large picture, "Interior of a Dumbbell by Night," has the same basic idea without the appearance of it, and gives a very vital sense of the elimination of noumenal perceptivity.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, April 5, 1916 by Seaman, Owen, Sir