rowing machine

American

[roh-ing] / ˈroʊ ɪŋ /

noun

an exercise machine having a mechanism with two oarlike handles, foot braces, and a sliding seat, allowing the user to go through the motions of rowing in a racing shell.

rowing machine British

noun

a device with oars and a sliding seat resembling a sculling boat, used to provide exercise

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rowing machine

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

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.

See Examples For:

rowing machine

Wallace said she also found red stains on the mats, a nearby rowing machine and a Tesla charging plug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Senior Peterhouse boat club members decided to choose their crew based on scores on a stationary rowing machine, which tends to favor brawn over skill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Also found on this level is a gym space, with a pilates machine and a rowing machine, as well as several sets of weights.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

He also has a fitness room with weights, treadmill and a rowing machine, while three parakeets fly around the complex.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 6, 2024

They found a rowing machine on deck and tried it out, posing on it for news photographers.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023