spring training

American  

noun

1. a program of physical exercise, practice, and exhibition games followed by a baseball team in the late winter and early spring, before the start of the regular season.

2. the period during which such a program takes place, usually from the beginning of March until the middle of April.

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Etymology

Origin of spring training

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

When spring training rolled around, the only question left was whether the work would pay off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

And yet, as counterintuitive as it may sound, Smith dedicated time and effort during spring training to improving his framing.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

After acquiring the Atlanta Braves baseball team in 1976, he sent an advertising sales executive to spring training to embed with the club, in uniform, so he could learn about baseball.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Would he leave Banana Ball next year if an MLB team offered him an invite to spring training?

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

As actors begin to dread the drudgery of rehearsing, so do baseball men detest the drill of the spring training.

From Pitching in a Pinch or, Baseball from the Inside by Mathewson, Christy