bench press

¹ American  

noun

1. a weightlifting exercise in which one lies supine on a bench and with both hands pushes a barbell or fixed weight upward from chest level to arm's length and then lowers it back to chest level: usually repeated in sets.

2. one complete repetition of this exercise.

3. this exercise as an event in weightlifting competition.

---

bench-press ² American  

[bench-pres] / ˈbɛntʃˌprɛs /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to perform a bench press with (a weight).

   He is small but can bench-press more than 400 pounds.

---

bench press British  

noun

1. a weight-training exercise in which a person lies on a bench and pushes a barbell upwards with both hands from chest level until the arms are straight, then lowers it again

---

verb

1. (intr) to carry out one or more bench presses

Etymology

Origin of bench press

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

At night, she returned to the bench press for a final round.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2025

Powerlifting consists of three different lifts - a squat, deadlift and a bench press.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2024

The drills - including bench press, vertical jump and timed 40-yard sprint - are designed to test an individual's athleticism, strength and ball skills.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2024

But he had 18 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press to rank second, accomplishing a goal he had set of “wanting to show my strength in the bench press.’

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2024

“And you’re not supposed to be here without Scythe Chomsky to spot you,” she pointed out, then sat down on a bench press showing no sign of leaving.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman