leapfrog

1 of 2

noun

leap·​frog ˈlēp-ˌfrȯg How to pronounce leapfrog (audio)
-ˌfräg
Synonyms of leapfrognext
: a game in which one player bends down and is vaulted over by another player

leapfrog

2 of 2

verb

leapfrogged; leapfrogging

intransitive verb

: to leap or progress in or as if in leapfrog

transitive verb

1
: to go ahead of (each other) in turn
specifically : to advance (two military units) by keeping one unit in action while moving the other unit past it to a position farther in front
2
: to evade by or as if by a bypass

Examples of leapfrog in a Sentence

Verb Skipping his last two years of high school, he leapfrogged his classmates and went to college. This year's technologies are leapfrogging last year's designs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This is a leapfrog game as one after another keeps getting boosted because of a lack of supply with demand being so strong. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025 Scientists have newly described three extraordinary species of tree toad that leapfrog over the egg-to-tadpole stage. Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
With most of the teams in their division winning their games Thursday night, Toronto is now 10 points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and would have to leapfrog seven teams to make it in. James Mirtle, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026 Linda Liddle is an office workhorse who has spent her career trying to get ahead by working late and grinding out quarterly reports through lunch at her desk, only to see the credit stolen by whatever smirking golf buddy has leapfrogged her up the corporate ladder. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leapfrog

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1872, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of leapfrog was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Leapfrog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leapfrog. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

leapfrog

noun
leap·​frog
ˈlēp-ˌfrȯg
-ˌfräg
: a game in which the first player bends down and another leaps over

More from Merriam-Webster on leapfrog

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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