warm-up

1 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly warmup
1
: the act or an instance of warming up
also : a preparatory activity or procedure
2
: a suit for exercise or casual wear consisting of a jacket or sweatshirt and pants
often used in plural

called also warm-up suit

warm up

2 of 2

verb

warmed up; warming up; warms up

intransitive verb

: to engage in exercise or practice especially before entering a game or contest
broadly : to get ready

Examples of warm-up in a Sentence

Noun the couple's initial exchange of insults proved to be only a warm-up for their booze-fueled fight later that night
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
India have not played an official warm-up match in Australian conditions that are bouncier and pacier than they are used to. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 The event was marked by hateful, xenophobic and racist rhetoric by Trump’s warm-up speakers. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
Gill was stunned by catching such a massive yellowfin tuna, while not having to warm up on smaller ones. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 21 Nov. 2024 The sudden change in manatee population likely occurred because Florida’s waters began to warm up. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for warm-up 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of warm-up was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near warm-up

Cite this Entry

“Warm-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warm-up. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

warm-up

noun
ˈwȯr-ˌməp
1
: the act or an instance of warming up
2
: a practice or set of exercises done before a game, contest, or workout

Medical Definition

warm-up

1 of 2 noun
: the act or an instance of warming up
also : a procedure (as a set of exercises) used in warming up

warm up

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to engage in preliminary exercise (as to stretch the muscles)
important to warm up properly before running

More from Merriam-Webster on warm-up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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