jumping jack

noun

1

: a conditioning exercise performed from a standing position by jumping to a position with legs spread and arms raised and then to the original position

2

: a toy figure of a man jointed and made to jump or dance by means of strings or a sliding stick

Examples of jumping jack in a Sentence

We did a few jumping jacks to warm up.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the pool, the women tell jokes and talk about their problems between sets of underwater biceps curls, leg lifts and jumping jacks. —Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025

So when he was completely spent, Coles did 10 more jumping jacks, 10 more pushups and ran another half-mile. —Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025

When those factors combine, the system creates wellness breaks, guiding them through movements such as jumping jacks or mindfulness exercises. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2025

That could mean jumping jacks, push-ups, or stretching. —Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for jumping jack

• almanac
• camelback
• cardiac
• carryback
• cluniac
• diamondback
• lumberjack
• maniac
• paperback
• piggyback
• quarterback
• saddleback

Kids Definition

jumping jack

noun

1

: a toy figure of a man jointed and made to jump or dance by means of strings or a sliding stick

2

: an exercise that involves jumping from a standing position to one with legs spread and arms raised and then back to the original standing position