pump iron

verb

To lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.

“Her upper body strength has been improving since she started pumping iron at the gym.”

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Meanings

verbpump iron (third-person singular simple present pumps iron, present participle pumping iron, simple past and past participle pumped iron)

present singular third person pumps iron · participle present pumping iron · participle past pumped iron · past pumped iron

  1. bodybuildingTo lift weights; to engage in weight or strength training.

    Her upper body strength has been improving since she started pumping iron at the gym.

    2 more examples

    For years now, Arnold Schwarzenegger has made the talk-show rounds telling audiences that pumping iron is better than sex. No wonder it took him so long to find a bride.

    1987 September, Robert McKay, “The National Standard”, in Cincinnati Magazine, page 104

    Early strongmen like Eugen Sandow (the model for the Mr. Olympia trophy) and late-1800s "Iron-Master" Arthur Saxon (who wrote the book on one-hand overhead moves) kicked off the first movement of guys pumping iron.

    2026, Greg Presto, “Timeless Gains”, in Men's Health, volume 41, number 2, page 14

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
big uppump

Translations

Bulgarian помпам
  • помпам (pompam)to engage in weight training
Chinese Mandarin 舉鐵 /举铁, 擼鐵 /撸铁
  • 舉鐵 /举铁 (jǔtiě)to engage in weight training
  • 擼鐵 /撸铁 (lūtiě)to engage in weight training
Finnish pumpata rautaa
  • pumpata rautaato engage in weight training
Polish pompować, pakować
  • pompowaćto engage in weight training
  • pakowaćto engage in weight training
Portuguese puxar ferro
  • puxar ferroto engage in weight training
Spanish levantar pesas, culturizar
  • levantar pesasto engage in weight training
  • culturizarto engage in weight training
  • practicar culturismoto engage in weight training
Swedish lyfta skrot
  • lyfta skrotto engage in weight training
Cite this entry
APA

pump iron. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pump%20iron

MLA

“pump iron.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pump%20iron. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pump iron,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pump%20iron.

Source: pump iron on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.