boulder

noun

boul·​der ˈbōl-dər 

variants or less commonly bowlder

: a detached and rounded or much-worn mass of rock

bouldered

ˈbōl-dərd 

adjective

bouldery

ˈbōl-d(ə-)rē 

adjective

Examples of boulder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Why was one of the most viral Reels of 2025 a surreal sequence showing a heavyset woman shattering a glass bridge in China with a boulder? —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2025

Following heavy storms, officials identified unstable conditions and three loose boulders along the trail. —Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 14 Dec. 2025

In the Seychelles, Anse Source d’Argent—less than half a mile long—ranked eighth, drawing millions of searches thanks to its granite boulders and remarkably clear shallows. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025

The film, directed by Danny Boyle, is a biographical drama about Aron Ralston, who became trapped by a boulder in a Utah canyon. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 28 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

short for boulder stone, from Middle English bulder ston, partial translation of a word of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect bullersten large stone in a stream, from buller noise + sten stone

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for boulder

• bolder
• bowlder
• colder
• folder
• golder
• holder
• molder
• moulder
• older
• polder
• shoulder
• beholder

Kids Definition

boulder

noun

boul·​der ˈbōl-dər 

: a large detached and rounded or worn mass of rock

Geographical Definition

Boulder

geographical name

Boul·​der ˈbōl-dər 

city northwest of Denver in north central Colorado population 97,385