1
: a vehicle body
2
: the act or process of making or repairing vehicle bodies
3
: therapeutic touching or manipulation of the body by using specialized techniques

Examples of bodywork in a Sentence

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.
In transport and mobile machinery, this direct integration converts exterior bodywork into an auxiliary power source. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026 One of the spa’s Energy and Eastern offerings, Vasudhara was developed in-house by Miraval therapists and combines weightless water therapy with Thai massage stretches and bodywork. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026 Expertise Compresses The Learning Curve Velocity isn’t competence, and ambition without technique usually ends in expensive bodywork. Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Underneath the retro bodywork, the XSR155 uses a Deltabox frame, which is Yamaha's signature aluminum chassis architecture adapted for this small-displacement application. New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bodywork

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bodywork was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Bodywork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodywork. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Medical Definition

: therapeutic touching or manipulation of the body by using specialized techniques
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