bout
BOWT
Bout (noun) means a short period of an activity, especially something difficult like an illness or a fight. Example: “After a short bout of coughing, he sipped some water and carried on.”
noun
1
A short period of an activity, especially something difficult like an illness or a fight.
"Pope Francis was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Friday, February 14, 2025, after suffering from a bout of bronchitis for several days."
— Devin Watkins, Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88 (2025)
"The "King" responded well to this treatment and would have maintained 60 m.p.h. up the steepest part had it not been for a brief bout of slipping, which was quickly corrected by Driver Bailes ("Autumn leaves", he remarked laconically)."
— R. C. Riley, The London-Birmingham services - Part, Present and Future (1960)
"After a short bout of coughing, he sipped some water and carried on."
"I've boxed in exhibition bouts to entertain the crowds."
"She was laid up with a bad bout of flu."
"The boxer lost the bout in the fourth round."
How to use bout
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short spell of something intense, like a fight, illness, or bad mood.
Common pairings
a bout of flu
a boxing bout
a drinking bout
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Word forms
- Plural
- bouts
- Third person singular
- bouts
- Past tense
- bouted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
After a short _____ of coughing, he sipped some water and carried on.
Etymology
From Middle English bout/bought, related to "bow" and "bight" — the idea of a "turn" or "bend" in an activity.
Related words
Rhymes for bout
See all rhymes for bout →Frequently asked questions
What does “bout” mean?
The word “bout” means a short period of an activity, especially something difficult like an illness or a fight. In plain terms, a short spell of something intense, like a fight, illness, or bad mood.
How do you pronounce “bout”?
“Bout” is pronounced BOWT (/ˈbaʊt/ in IPA).
How do you use “bout” in a sentence?
Here is “bout” used in a sentence: “She was laid up with a bad bout of flu.”
What part of speech is “bout”?
“Bout” is a noun.
Where does the word “bout” come from?
The word “bout” comes from Middle English. From Middle English bout/bought, related to "bow" and "bight" — the idea of a "turn" or "bend" in an activity.
Is “bout” a common word?
“Bout” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
What words commonly follow "a bout of"?
"A bout of" typically introduces something unpleasant and short-lived: a bout of flu, a bout of food poisoning, a bout of insomnia, a bout of depression. The phrase frames the experience as a distinct episode with a beginning and an end.
What is the difference between a bout and a match in boxing?
In boxing they are near-synonyms: bout is the formal term for a single contest between two fighters, while match and fight are the everyday equivalents. Bout is the word used in official rules, records, and ring announcements.
What is the difference between a bout and an episode of illness?
Both name a short period of illness, so they often overlap. Bout emphasizes the struggle and the self-contained duration — you battle through a bout of flu — while episode is the more neutral, clinical term that medicine often uses for recurring conditions.
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