bounce

1 of 2

verb

ˈbau̇n(t)s 

bounced; bouncing

transitive verb

1

obsolete : beat, bump

2

: to cause to rebound or be reflected

bounce a ball

bounce a light ray off a reflector

3

a

: dismiss, fire

b

: to expel precipitately from a place

c

: to eliminate from a competition by defeating

was bounced from the tournament in the first round

4

: to issue (a check) drawn on an account with insufficient funds

5

: to present (something, such as an idea) to another person to elicit comments or to gain approval

—usually used with off

6

: to return (an email) to the sender with notification of failed delivery

Other potential authors proved simply too hard to reach. E-mails got bounced back, and many phone calls never went through.

—Clark Boyd

intransitive verb

1

: to rebound or reflect after striking a surface (such as the ground)

2

: to recover from a blow or a defeat quickly

—usually used with back

3

: to be returned by a bank because of insufficient funds in a checking account

His checks bounced.

4

a

: to leap suddenly : bound

b

: to walk with springing steps

5

: to hit a baseball so that it hits the ground before it reaches an infielder

6

of an email : to return to the sender with notification of failed delivery

Gonzalez had the wrong addresses for the local executives, and his emails bounced back.

—David Wenner

7

: to go quickly and usually repeatedly from one place, situation, job, etc., to another

The story bounces from one parallel universe to the next …

—Digby Diehl

In the past year, he's been the most visible rapper in the world, bouncing around the globe …

—Christian Hoard

8

US, informal : leave, depart

Some of Hollywood's finest … reportedly had difficulty getting in and decided to bounce.

—Kenya N. Byrd

bounce

2 of 2

noun

plural bounces

1

: the act or action of bouncing off the ground or another surface : a rebound off a surface

caught the ball on the second bounce

… his liner … to right-center took an odd bounce off the wall.

—Rob Maaddi

2

: a sudden increase or improvement in rating or value

As Gore rode his post-convention bounce, the media started eyeballing Bush for signs of anxiety.

—Michelle Cottle

3

: a lively or energetic quality : verve, liveliness

full of bounce and enthusiasm

still has plenty of bounce in his step

4

: bluster sense 3

In William II the bullying spirit has developed into bounce and swagger …

—E. H. C. Oliphant

Synonyms of bounce

Verb

• out
• chase
• eject
• dismiss
• banish

Noun

• energy
• vigor
• juice
• drive
• life
• gas
• pep
• strength
• punch

Examples of bounce in a Sentence

Verb

He was bouncing a tennis ball against the garage door.

bouncing the ball back and forth

The children love to bounce on the bed.

The winner bounced up and down with delight.

Her curls bounced as she jumped.

He bounced the baby on his knee.

She gave me a check for 20 dollars, but the check bounced, and I never got the money.

He bounced a 100-dollar check at the grocery store.

The store charges a $15 fee for a bounced check.

Noun

The ball took a high bounce over the shortstop's head.

He caught the ball on the first bounce.

a basketball that has lost all its bounce

The shampoo promises to give limp hair lots of bounce.

After the debates, she enjoyed a big bounce in the election polls.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

An elite prep wrestler who rushed for more than 5,000 yards in high school, Brown’s burst and bounce in the box are good enough to mirror plenty of actual running backs near the hole. — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Cushioned insoles create the feeling of bouncing forward with every step, not to mention the mesh outers will eliminate the threat of sweaty, stinky feet. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Noun

With just one year left on his contract and a 2025 season worth forgetting, a bounce-back will be big for him in 2026. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026

Mike Norvell needs a bounce-back season in the worst way after going 7-17 the past two seasons. — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bounsen

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bounce

• bounce around
• bounce back
• bounce house
• bounce into
• bounce off
• bounce off the walls
• bounce pass
• dead-cat bounce

Rhymes for bounce

• flounce
• ounce
• pounce
• announce
• denounce
• pronounce
• renounce

Video

A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

Kids Definition

bounce

1 of 2 verb

ˈbau̇n(t)s 

bounced; bouncing

1

a

: to cause to rebound

bounce a ball

b

: to spring back or up after striking a surface

2

: to remove from a place by force

3

: to recover quickly from a blow or defeat

bounced back after the loss

4

: to leap suddenly : bound

5

of a check : to be returned by a bank because of lack of funds in a checking account

bounce

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a sudden leap or bound

b

: a bouncing back : rebound

2

: enthusiasm sense 1, spirit

bouncy adjective