spring

1 of 3

verb (1)

sprang ˈspraŋ How to pronounce spring (audio) or sprung ˈsprəŋ How to pronounce spring (audio) ; sprung; springing ˈspriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce spring (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a(1)
: dart, shoot
sparks sprang out from the fire
(2)
: to be resilient or elastic
also : to move by elastic force
the lid sprang shut
b
: to become warped
2
: to issue with speed and force or as a stream
tears spring from our eyes
3
a
: to grow as a plant
b
: to issue by birth or descent
sprang from the upper class
c
: to come into being : arise
towns sprang up across the plains
d
archaic : dawn
e
: to begin to blow
used with up
a breeze quickly sprang up
4
a
: to make a leap or series of leaps
springing across the lawn
b
: to leap or jump up suddenly
sprang from their seats
5
: to stretch out in height : rise
6
: pay
used with for
I'll spring for the drinks

transitive verb

1
: to cause to spring
2
a
: to undergo or bring about the splitting or cracking of
wind sprang the mast
b
: to undergo the opening of (a leak)
3
a
: to cause to operate suddenly
spring a trap
b
: to apply or insert by bending
c
: to bend by force
4
: to leap over
5
: to produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly
6
: to make lame
7
: to release or cause to be released from confinement or custody
sprung them from jail

spring

2 of 3

noun

often attributive
1
a
: a source of supply
especially : a source of water issuing from the ground
b
: an ultimate source especially of action or motion
2
3
: a time or season of growth or development
specifically : the season between winter and summer comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of March, April, and May or as reckoned astronomically extending from the March equinox to the June solstice
4
: an elastic body or device that recovers its original shape when released after being distorted
5
a
: the act or an instance of leaping up or forward : bound
b(1)
: capacity for springing : resilience
(2)
6
: the point or plane at which an arch or vault curve springs from its impost
springlike adjective

spring

3 of 3

verb (2)

sprung ˈsprəŋ How to pronounce spring (audio) ; springing ˈspriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce spring (audio)

transitive verb

: to fit with springs
Choose the Right Synonym for spring

spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence.

spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen
slowly rose to prominence

originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Examples of spring in a Sentence

Noun We'll plant the seeds next spring. We've had a rainy spring. a beautiful day in early spring The first few weeks of spring were unusually warm. The mattress is old and some of the springs are broken. The cushion has lost its spring.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
More trending stories: → Texas to 'spring forward': When daylight saving time begins → How a six-pack of beer, $100 got rescuers to pull pig out of thorns. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 This is the first time Starbucks has incorporated lavender into any drink Spring has sprung at Starbucks. Ana Calderone, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 After all, what signals spring more than bunnies and pastel hues? Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 There are several air crashes and things that spring to mind. Rob Reddick, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2024 This year, clocks will spring forward one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2024 The notes began springing out with a glib, dead intonation. Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 In the southern Kherson region, which was occupied by Russia in the first weeks of the war, those partisan networks sprang into action, according to General Kondratiuk, assassinating local collaborators and helping Ukrainian forces target Russian positions. Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024 Houston Bride Gets Married at Hospital Where Her Dad Is Being Treated, Wedding Is 'Occupational Therapy' According to Saint Luke's Facebook post, the Perrys' care team sprung into action, gathering up supplies and making arrangements for their labor ward ceremony. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
Morel mushrooms have started popping up in southern Indiana and the tasty morsels will spread north as spring and warmer weather arrives. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 Water when the soil begins to dry, and feed the plant a water-soluble fertilizer once a month in spring and summer. Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 The buds that did emerge were, like the ones in the Northeast, killed by a cold snap in the early spring. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Sheehan was shut down for a week earlier in the spring with shoulder soreness and is expected to open the season on the injured list. Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 11 Mar. 2024 Show more sharing options A hike among the grasses and wildflowers at Hollenbeck Canyon should be considered an essential outdoor activity for San Diegans in the spring. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 In the film, which Neon is releasing later in the spring, Glazer plays Eden, who becomes pregnant from a brief but intense fling and decides to raise the baby on her own. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Sweeney's metallic underwear — which retails for $5,800 on Miu Miu's website — also comes in beige (Emma Corin modeled the colorway on the runway last spring) and pink opal. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Librarians said the passes are particularly popular during spring and summer, when warm weather and vacations draw people to the Golden State’s great outdoors. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
The Beef star was famously pregnant with her children during her 2016 and 2018 Netflix comedy specials Baby Kobra and Hard Knock Wife, which helped spring the comedian into stardom. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2023 While hope is still springing eternal, there’s still time for a wager before the season begins. Bill Bradley, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2023 Every day of the week more than 1,000 fountains come to life, springing 460 feet into the air to dance, accompanied by music and light. Tamara Gane, Chron, 21 Mar. 2023 Couples in particular are springing across the Atlantic and immersing themselves in the rich cultures of iconic European cities. Kyle Schmidbauer, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2023 It was rewarded with the Gavotte en rondeau from Bach’s E major Violin Partita, as nicely sprung as the eponymous baroque dance. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 11 Mar. 2023 Now, many other states are considering whether to stop falling back and springing ahead. Beth Ann Malow, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2023 The dirt road had been left free of mines, while the fields all about were seeded with them, so as to entice the Russians to advance while preventing tanks from turning around once the trap was sprung. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023 Both models employ the Civic's strut front suspension, located by lower control arms and sprung by torsion bars. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 1 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English springan; akin to Old High German springan to jump and perhaps to Greek sperchesthai to hasten

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spring was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near spring

Cite this Entry

“Spring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spring. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spring

1 of 2 verb
sprang ˈspraŋ How to pronounce spring (audio) or sprung ˈsprəŋ How to pronounce spring (audio) ; sprung; springing ˈspriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce spring (audio)
1
a
: to appear or grow quickly
the weeds sprang up overnight
b
: to come from by birth or descent
sprang from an immigrant family
c
: to come into being : arise
towns sprang up across the plains
2
: to move suddenly forward or upward : leap
a lion crouched and waiting to spring
sprang up the path
sprang to my feet
3
: to have (a leak) appear
4
a
: to move by elastic force
the lid sprang shut
b
: to become warped or bent
the door has sprung
5
a
: to cause to operate suddenly
spring a trap
b
: to produce suddenly
sprung a surprise on us
6
: pay entry 1 sense 1
usually used with for
spring for a new pair of shoes
7
: to release or cause to be released from confinement (as jail)

spring

2 of 2 noun
1
: a source of supply
especially : a source of water coming up from the ground
2
a
: the season between winter and summer including in the northern hemisphere usually the months of March, April, and May
b
: a time or season of growth or development
3
: an elastic body or device that recovers its original shape when released after being squeezed or stretched
4
a
: the act or an instance of leaping up or forward
b
: elastic power or force
the spring in your step

Medical Definition

spring

noun
: any of various elastic orthodontic devices used especially to apply constant pressure to misaligned teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on spring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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