workout
Americannoun
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a trial or practice session in athletics, as in running, boxing, or football.
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a structured regime of physical exercise.
She goes to the gym for a workout twice a week.
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any trial or practice session.
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an act or instance of working something out.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of workout
First recorded in 1890–95; noun use of verb phrase work out
Explanation
A workout is an exercise session. If you hope to join your school's track team, you'd better be prepared for regular workouts. If you do yoga, lift weights, or run with your dog, you can call each of these activities a workout. When it's a verb, workout becomes two separate words: work out. So you can either say "I work out three days a week" or "I usually do three workouts a week." When this noun first appeared around the turn of the 20th century, it referred specifically to a practice boxing match.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Workout equipment, game rooms, walking paths and lounges have become standard in many communities — but if pickleball or gardening plots are important, then by all means make sure you get them.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 24, 2025
Workout routine: In her office at lunch with Dave, her trainer.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 11, 2025
Sign up for the WSJ Workout Challenge to boost your fitness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2025
Mr Hudd said people were flying to Britain for the Hero's Workout from as far afield as Dubai to join friends and colleagues.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2024
On Monday, gates at T-Mobile Park open at 2 p.m., and fans can see players from each of the All-Star teams take batting practice at the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 3, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
