barbell

American  

[bahr-bel] / ˈbɑrˌbɛl /

noun

barbells plural

1. an apparatus used in weight-lifting, consisting of a bar with replaceable, disk-shaped weights fastened to the ends.

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barbell British  

/ ˈbɑːˌbɛl /

noun

1. a metal rod to which heavy discs are attached at each end for weightlifting exercises

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• barbells
  plural

Etymology

Origin of barbell

First recorded in 1885–90; bar ¹ + bell ¹

Explanation

The long pole with weights on each end that a weightlifter or bodybuilder lifts at a gym is called a barbell. If you're new to lifting weights, your barbell may only hold a few pounds. Olympic weight lifters or power lifters may heft barbells with very long bars and extremely heavy weights, while general fitness seekers lift shorter, lighter barbells. Before the word barbell first emerged in the 19th century, there was the word dumbbell, "weighted bar used for exercise," from which the bell ending was borrowed for barbell.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barbell barbells

During a typical session, he does supersets of barbell hip thrusts, planks and walking lunges with 30-pound dumbbells.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026

They suggested a barbell of cyclicals, featuring strong earnings and compressed valuations, such as in financials, industrials and consumer-discretionary goods.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026

“People are looking for some of that barbell optionality in LatAm financials and commodities,” he says.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

To exploit the wide performance dispersion of AI winners and losers, Cau and team recommend a barbell approach.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 11, 2026

His arms felt rubbery, like he’d been holding a barbell straight out in front of him.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

"Training all major muscle groups at least twice a week matters far more than chasing the idea of a 'perfect' or complex training plan. Whether it's barbells, bands, or bodyweight, consistency and effort drive results."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 19, 2026

Brandon Blackwell sits in his apartment in the Jamaica section of Queens, training with a collection of 30,000 homemade flash cards the way weight lifters train with barbells.

From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2024

The men's facility featured rows of workout platforms, outfitted with dumbbells, barbells and weights capable of going into the hundreds of pounds.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2024

If you want to do bench presses, dead lifts and curls but don’t have space or the budget for barbells, consider using exercise bands, like the ones physical therapists often use.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 2, 2024

There are two sets of barbells, a burlap sack of sand, a jump rope with red wooden handles, and a pear-shaped leather punching bag nailed to the closet ceiling.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García