leaps 1 of 2

Definition of leapsnext
plural of leap
as in jumps
an act of leaping into the air the horse cleared the hurdle with a tremendous leap

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leaps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of leap
as in hops
to propel oneself upward or forward into the air the outfielder leaped into the air to catch the ball before it went over the fence

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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 leaps
Noun
Even with a promising draft haul and possible leaps from Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers, the team could be entirely out of contention come December. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Those leaps depended on the elimination of at-large districts, which had long been common throughout the South. David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 But volcanology, as a field, has made great leaps since Pinatubo blew its top. Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026 Each frog was allowed three leaps to reach its final, measurable resting point. Andrew Graham may 6, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026 Maybe the stage in which lucid dreams occur doesn’t involve as many creative leaps. Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026 When Marcello Hernández speaks, his voice takes ebullient leaps and bounds. Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 A’Marion McCoy - Philadelphia Eagles minicamp Cornerback A’Marion McCoy came on in leaps and bounds for Boise State in his two years for the program, and will now have a chance to continue proving himself for a Super Bowl-caliber team. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 27 Apr. 2026 Home prices and rents did jump – but those leaps were below national surges. Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Consumer spending was surprisingly resilient through 2025 and has been into 2026 so far even as inflation leaps. David Moin, Footwear News, 18 May 2026 Comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026 Comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026 But less than three minutes into the conversation, Earl leaps off Maslany’s lap, freezes in place and stares ahead. Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 Processing power leaps ahead Current spacecraft often use outdated processors because modern chips struggle to survive space radiation. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 May 2026 His voice leaps across the intervening years clearly and confidently. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 27 Apr. 2026 The many leaps in time to the wedding—to which Ruben shows up on a motorcycle, angry enough to knock his brother out with a single punch—consistently ratchet up the sense of dread, and the suspense over why or how these two have stayed enmeshed. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 Cappello started seeing these windows come in two decades ago from overseas, where energy-efficient window technology was leaps ahead of the United States. Clio Chang, Curbed, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaps
Noun
  • Rebuilding strength in his leg muscles required regular gym exercises with lead rehab physio Richard Clark, including walking on an anti-gravity treadmill, deadlifts, box jumps, split squats with weights, balancing drills and running on a small trampoline.
    Jay Harris, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Overdose deaths fell in the vast majority of states, although seven saw at least slight increases, including jumps of 10% or more in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, the preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.
    Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • All German Pilsner malt, super soft water profile like that in a Czech pale lager, and 100% US-grown hops with a touch of flaked corn.
    Blaine Callahan, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
  • At the finish of the night, once the final notes have faded and the last bits of confetti have dropped, Eilish, now coming off less like a savior blessing her masses than just another young woman at the end of a tough but rewarding workday, hops into a waiting SUV.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Leaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaps. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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