springboard

1 of 2

noun

spring·​board ˈspriŋ-ˌbȯrd 

plural springboards

1

: a flexible board usually secured at one end and used for gymnastic stunts or diving

2

: something that helps launch an activity, enterprise, etc.

… hopes motherhood will be the springboard that relaunches her stagnant acting career.

—Roy S. Johnson

… Ueberroth is denying claims that he will use the Games as a springboard to high political office.

—Ray Kennedy

springboard

2 of 2

verb

springboarded; springboarding; springboards

1

intransitive : to launch upward from or as if from a springboard

… cloud-scraping 60-meter punts pulling a half-dozen bodies skyward, each trying to springboard off the small of the other's back …

—Gary Smith

… the long line of players springboarding from the backwater minors to prime time.

—Ric Bucher

2

transitive + intransitive : to start or help start something (such as an activity or enterprise)

The company has spent heavily to establish a brand name and reputation from scratch, with no brick-and-mortar stores to springboard its efforts.

—Chris O'Malley

Fortunately I got the approval, and that springboarded the work.

—Andrew Grant

Examples of springboard in a Sentence

Noun

The news served as a springboard for a class discussion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Showbox plans to use the partnership as a springboard to accelerate its expansion into the global short-form drama market. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 June 2026

Forging community The range of lifestyles, opinions and narratives in zines often serves as a springboard for creating community. — Rachel Schneider, The Conversation, 17 June 2026

Verb

In recent years, his relationship with Swift helped springboard him into mainstream fame. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026

Saving the season will start with grinding through this next patch of games and somehow stacking points in a fashion that springboards them back into the playoff race. — Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for springboard

• abhorred
• aboard
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword

Kids Definition

springboard

noun

spring·​board ˈspriŋ-ˌbō(ə)rd 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

1

: a flexible board usually fastened at one end and used for jumping high in gymnastics or diving

2

: a point of departure

a springboard to success in business