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bounding 1 of 3

adjective

as in encircling

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bounding

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of bound
1
as in defining
to mark the limits of the country is bounded by water on two sides

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in bordering
to serve as a border for being bounded on all sides by the Alps has helped Switzerland maintain its neutrality

Synonyms & Similar Words

bounding

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of bound
1
as in hopping
to move with a light springing step the child giggled and bounded off to play with her friends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaping
to propel oneself upward or forward into the air a rabbit bounded down the garden path

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bounding
Verb
The old ranch hand cut a surprisingly sprightly figure in his warehouselike clinic, bounding from room to room. — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 The sound of a teenager bounding down the stairs of our home. — John Biemer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 For now, though, the puppy who once came bounding into CBS Texas is growing up right before our eyes. — Nelly Carreño, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 East Portal Park was busy on Monday morning, with children bounding through the playground and the soft clunking of bocce balls echoing from the nearby courts. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Perhaps most importantly, the brothers had an indisputable chemistry, both in the studio and bounding around racks of equipment on stage. — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2026 At 5-foot-9, Fery possesses a skill set perfectly suited for low-bounding grass. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 But Adams is bounding around the rooftop beaming, teeth porcelain-white, face slathered in makeup, hair firmly coiffed. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 18 June 2026 There is no shortage of footage of Shelton from his early career, bounding after balls with the fury of a linebacker chasing down a quarterback and then sliding through them — too far through them. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bounding
  1. embracing
  2. defining
  3. bordering
  4. hopping
  5. leaping
  6. surrounding
  7. bouncing
  8. jumping
Adjective
  • The saints’ days are celebrated, the great days of history are celebrated, and they’re celebrated with this sort of enormous exuberance and deep investment that is somehow very, very touching, very embracing, and very inclusive.
    — Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025
Definition of embracing
Verb
  • Yet musical improvisation remained a defining influence throughout his practice, which was unusual in its diversity of styles, mediums, and materials.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Districts resorted to defining competency as the lowest passing grade.
    — Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of defining
Verb
  • Dussey’s country, Togo, a West African nation bordering Ghana and Burkina Faso, was the driving force behind a UN General Assembly vote to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa.
    — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Stops Pretty Places had just turned 18 when her body was found in a town bordering the Crow Reservation in 2019.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of bordering
Verb
  • Engineers at the University of Washington developed DirectHop to explore whether hopping could offer small robots a practical way to cross obstacles without flying.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • From my little Brooklyn, New York abode, that generally means heading out east for beachy trips to Montauk, hopping around upstate’s Hudson Valley or Catskills towns, and taking advantage of ski mountains all over the east coast.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of hopping
Verb
  • Kansas City answered on the ensuing drive, with a 17-yard leaping catch by Tyquan Thornton getting the Chiefs inside the red zone.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Co-branded elements include Jil Sander branding, alongside Puma’s leaping cat on the heel.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of leaping
Adjective
  • Some critics of the budget cuts argue that the bar may be high but merited, given what the museum has to offer Brussels in terms of art, direct and indirect employment, and revitalizing the surrounding, low-income neighborhood.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Connecticut farmers have been watching how surrounding states have handled the bright red flying bug and adjusted their farms accordingly.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of surrounding
Verb
  • As the judges give him positive feedback, our Danni is very excited, clapping for him and bouncing up and down like a bobblehead going down a cobblestoned street.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The rising global genre, known for its catchy harmonies and bouncing performance style, inspired the sisters to bring pop elements to their recording sessions.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of bouncing
Verb
  • As fire ripped through the apartment building, the stepfather of five paused to talk the unidentified pregnant woman out of jumping from the second-story window to the dirt and concrete below.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Bond yields shot higher across the curve, with two-year, 10-year and 30-year yields all jumping.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of jumping

Browse Nearby Words

bounders
bounding
boundless
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Cite this Entry

“Bounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bounding. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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