workout

American  

[wurk-out] / ˈwɜrkˌaʊt /

noun

1. a trial or practice session in athletics, as in running, boxing, or football.

2. a structured regime of physical exercise.

   She goes to the gym for a workout twice a week.

3. any trial or practice session.

4. an act or instance of working something out.

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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

Unlike traditional activity tracking methods that focus mainly on steps or workout duration, AQ measures exercise intensity by monitoring heart rate.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Mentored by Vuori’s VP of men’s design Kirk Heifner, students were tasked with creating a look for an athlete who moves seamlessly from a workout to an art gallery.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Plus, what to do with airline stocks now and the K-shaped workout.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

The performance is as much an aerobic workout as a vocal one.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

She smiled and caught someone coming into the center through the doors from the workout rooms.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

Related Words

• conditioning
• drill
• rehearsal
• routine
• session
• test
• training
• tryout