Meaning & use
dumbbell
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A short bar with a weight at each end, held in one hand for strength training.
Grammar: Countable; often plural in exercise routines. Say lift dumbbells, not lift a dumbbell, when using both.
Patterns
- lift dumbbells
- a pair of dumbbells
- adjustable dumbbell
He does shoulder presses with two fifteen-pound dumbbells.
Buy an adjustable dumbbell if space is limited.
nouncountableinformaldisapprovingold-fashioned
An old-fashioned insult for a person regarded as stupid.
Grammar: Countable insult; today it sounds dated and can offend, so describe it rather than use it about someone.
Patterns
- call someone a dumbbell
- an old dumbbell insult
The film used dumbbell as a dated playground insult.
Older jokes sometimes rely on the dumbbell stereotype.
Word forms
| plural | dumbbells |
|---|
Common combinations
- lift dumbbells
- Lift dumbbells slowly to protect your wrists.
- pair of dumbbells
- A pair of dumbbells was enough for the home workout.
- dumbbell rack
- Keep the dumbbell rack away from the walking path.
Synonyms and how they differ
- free weight
- Free weight is the broader category; a dumbbell is one type of free weight.
- barbell
- A barbell is a long bar used with both hands, unlike a one-hand dumbbell.
- hand weight
- Hand weight is a plainer term often used in fitness classes for light dumbbells.
Commonly confused: dumbbell or barbell?
dumbbell vs barbell
Dumbbells are short and used one per hand; barbells are long and usually need both hands.
Practice
For curls, hold one ___ in each hand and keep your elbows still.
Choose one answer.
A curl uses a short one-hand weight, so dumbbell fits. Barbell suggests one long bar for both hands.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dumbbell”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.