bounced; bouncing
2
: to cause to rebound or be reflected
bounce a ball
bounce a light ray off a reflector
3
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
Clark Boyd1
: 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
David Wenner7
: 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
Digby DiehlIn the past year, he's been the most visible rapper in the world, bouncing around the globe …—Christian Hoard
Christian Hoard
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
Rob Maaddi2
: 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
Michelle Cottle3
: 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
E. H. C. OliphantSynonyms
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 WebPaige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
Here Comes Padel: The sport is played with a racket on a court with a net, but watch out for those bouncing shots from the back wall.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
In the 2023 tournament, Purdue, also then a No. 1 seed, was bounced out in the first round by Fairleigh Dickinson University, 58-63, in a stunning upset.
—NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
At the same time, many low-income students are unable to find housing at all, often resorting to crashing with friends or bouncing between motel rooms.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
But often older children end up in group homes, or bounce from one place to another.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Growing up, Dylan LeBlanc bounced between households — his mother’s in Shreveport, Louisiana, and his father’s in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
Camera screen bouncing, the producer sprints over to get footage.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024
And some were eliminated by each other, as when Iowa State bounced Washington State and Creighton sent Oregon packing.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
Erica Puisis, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
The important thing to know is that this increase in tardy payments is a bounce up from a mid-pandemic low when consumers were stuck at home and not spending much money, plus many people got various government stimulus checks.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024
Dante got the bounce on a jump hook to put Oregon back up by three points before Andrews countered with a driving layup with 11 seconds to go.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
When used as a duo, expect softer hair with bounce and lift.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The Chiefs' first touchdown was set up by a weird bounce on a puntlate in the third quarter, as the ball ricocheted off Darrell Luter Jr. and was recovered at the 49ers' 16-yard line.
—USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024
Step in the Ouai Hair Gloss that in one pea-sized drop (or two-pea sized drops for thicker or textured hair) will smooth and add instant bounce and shine.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024
How no kid just went bounce [smack motion] is beyond me.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024
The guitars and bass bounce along to the beat as Clarkson digs deep in her lungs for the guttural notes of the pre-chorus and the lightness of the chorus.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
As one person moves, the entire mattress can shift, causing the other person to bounce or roll toward the center of the mattress.
—Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
Here Comes Padel: The sport is played with a racket on a court with a net, but watch out for those bouncing shots from the back wall.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
In the 2023 tournament, Purdue, also then a No. 1 seed, was bounced out in the first round by Fairleigh Dickinson University, 58-63, in a stunning upset.
—NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
At the same time, many low-income students are unable to find housing at all, often resorting to crashing with friends or bouncing between motel rooms.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
But often older children end up in group homes, or bounce from one place to another.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Growing up, Dylan LeBlanc bounced between households — his mother’s in Shreveport, Louisiana, and his father’s in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2024
Camera screen bouncing, the producer sprints over to get footage.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024
And some were eliminated by each other, as when Iowa State bounced Washington State and Creighton sent Oregon packing.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024
Noun
Fat Brain Toys Box and Bouncy Balls Toy $42
Roll, stack, bounce, nest…the options are endless with this strategy game that’s sure to challenge everyone in the family.
—Erica Puisis, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
The important thing to know is that this increase in tardy payments is a bounce up from a mid-pandemic low when consumers were stuck at home and not spending much money, plus many people got various government stimulus checks.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024
Dante got the bounce on a jump hook to put Oregon back up by three points before Andrews countered with a driving layup with 11 seconds to go.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
When used as a duo, expect softer hair with bounce and lift.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The Chiefs' first touchdown was set up by a weird bounce on a puntlate in the third quarter, as the ball ricocheted off Darrell Luter Jr. and was recovered at the 49ers' 16-yard line.
—USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024
Step in the Ouai Hair Gloss that in one pea-sized drop (or two-pea sized drops for thicker or textured hair) will smooth and add instant bounce and shine.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024
How no kid just went bounce [smack motion] is beyond me.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024
The guitars and bass bounce along to the beat as Clarkson digs deep in her lungs for the guttural notes of the pre-chorus and the lightness of the chorus.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bounce.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Bounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bounce. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bounce
1 of 2 verb
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
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