bout
noun
ˈbau̇t 
: a spell or period of activity: such as
a
: an athletic match (as of boxing)
lost his bout with the champion
b
: outbreak, attack
a bout of pneumonia
frequent bouts of depression
survived her bout with cancer
c
: session
a drinking bout
a bout of unemployment
Synonyms
- competition
- contest
- event
- game
- match
- matchup
- meet
- sweepstakes
- sweep-stake
- tournament
- tourney
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
undoubtedly the team's best wrestler, he hasn't lost a bout yet she's currently suffering from a bout of the flu
Recent Examples on the Web Charles also takes over at a delicate time in broader British politics — when the country is confronting its worst bout of inflation since the 1970s, and energy bills have skyrocketed. 
Amanda Ferguson, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 The country entered a lengthy period of national mourning after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, confronting life without its figurehead of 70 years while already troubled by economic crisis and its latest bout of political upheaval. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 In an interview with The Guardian, Wilson discussed her bout with the virus, admitting that contracting it alongside the Forrest Gump star made the health struggle slightly more bearable. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 His first bout with cancer began when, during the 2001 Iditarod, Mackey discovered a lump in his neck that was later diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, according to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame write-up. Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 Robins, vocalist for the Whiskey Kings and the Ninja Cowboys, is recovering from her own bout with brain surgery. cleveland, 5 Sep. 2022 Both men were wobbling at the final bell in their 15-round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Richard Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Their bout takes place in a traditional boxing ring that rises from beneath the stage. Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The first lady's positive test comes not long after the president experienced his own bout with COVID-19. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2022 See More
Amanda Ferguson, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 The country entered a lengthy period of national mourning after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, confronting life without its figurehead of 70 years while already troubled by economic crisis and its latest bout of political upheaval. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 In an interview with The Guardian, Wilson discussed her bout with the virus, admitting that contracting it alongside the Forrest Gump star made the health struggle slightly more bearable. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 His first bout with cancer began when, during the 2001 Iditarod, Mackey discovered a lump in his neck that was later diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, according to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame write-up. Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 Robins, vocalist for the Whiskey Kings and the Ninja Cowboys, is recovering from her own bout with brain surgery. cleveland, 5 Sep. 2022 Both men were wobbling at the final bell in their 15-round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Richard Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 Their bout takes place in a traditional boxing ring that rises from beneath the stage. Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The first lady's positive test comes not long after the president experienced his own bout with COVID-19. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
English dialect, a trip going and returning in plowing, from Middle English bought bend
First Known Use
1575, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
bout
noun
ˈbau̇t
1
: a contest of skill or strength
a wrestling bout
2
: attack entry 2 sense 4, outbreak
a bad bout of the flu
bouts
noun
1
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize undoubtedly the team's best wrestler, he hasn't lost a bout yet Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- tournaments
- events
- competitions
- games
- matches
- contests
- championships
- sports
- matchups
- tourneys
- battles
- skirmishes
- meets
- tussles
- sweep-stake
- athletics
- sweepstakes
- races
- struggles
- outings
- scrimmages
- conflicts
- rounds
- semifinals
- marathons
- finals
- nationals
- derbies
- heats
- triathlons
- runs
- tugs-of-war
- gymkhanas
- ultramarathons
- nightcaps
- volleys
- rallies
- runoffs
- decathlons
- field days
- sudden deaths
- biathlons
- round-robins
- play-offs
- pentathlons
- rubbers
- seesaws
- sets
- classics
- heptathlons
- dead heats
- photo finishes
2
as in seizures
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder she's currently suffering from a bout of the flu Synonyms & Similar Words
- seizures
- attacks
- cases
- spells
- pangs
- spasms
- sieges
- relapses
- breakdowns
- recurrences
- paroxysms
- convulsions
- accesses
- fits
- frenzies
- throes
- agitations
- turns
- brainstorms
- prostrations
- collapses
- eclampsias
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- arrests
- remissions
- reliefs