Okuzeka
Sports & Fitness vocabulary · Gym & Equipment

Dumbbell

Meaning in sports & fitness, with examples

/ˈdʌmbel/nounCore term

In sports & fitness, dumbbell means: A short bar with a weight at each end, held in one hand; used singly or in pairs for exercises such as curls, presses and rows.

In Turkish: dambıl

How it is used

Found in every gym, usually on a rack ordered by weight. Trainers ask clients to pick up, grab or rack the dumbbells, and programmes name exercises like dumbbell curl, dumbbell row and dumbbell bench press.

Example sentences

  1. Grab a pair of 10-kilo dumbbells and meet me at the bench.

  2. Please put the dumbbells back on the rack when you're done.

Common collocations

  • pair of dumbbells
  • dumbbell rack
  • dumbbell curl
  • dumbbell row
  • adjustable dumbbells
  • barbellA long metal bar with weight plates added at each end, held with both hands for exercises such as squats, deadlifts and bench presses.
  • kettlebellA round cast-iron weight with a handle on top, used for swinging, lifting and carrying exercises.
  • free weightsWeights that are not attached to a machine, such as dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells, so the user has to control and balance them.
  • gymA building or room with equipment for physical exercise, such as weights, machines and treadmills; also called a fitness centre or health club.

More terms: Gym & Equipment

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: