submaximal
adjective
sub·max·i·mal
ˌsəb-ˈmak-s(ə-)məl 
variants
or sub-maximal
: less than maximal : not at the greatest or highest possible level
submaximal exertion
One hundred twenty asymptomatic patients underwent a submaximal treadmill exercise test two to three weeks after an acute myocardial infarction.—
JAMA
JAMA
submaximally
adverb
or sub-maximally
[Don] Mattingly said left-hander Paco Rodriguez … is throwing submaximally but will not return to the Dodgers before rosters expand.
—Pedro Moura
Pedro Moura
Examples of submaximal in a Sentence
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The two submaximal sessions have a much smaller impact—a convincing illustration of the potential drawbacks of overly simple training load metrics like TWD.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 8 June 2022
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Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 8 June 2022
Cite this Entry
“Submaximal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/submaximal. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
submaximal
adjective
sub·max·i·mal
ˌsəb-ˈmak-s(ə-)məl
: being less than the maximum of which an individual is capable
submaximal exercise
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