bounced; bouncing
2
: to cause to rebound or be reflected
bounce a ball
bounce a light ray off a reflector
3
4
: to issue (a check) drawn on an account with insufficient funds
5
: to present (something, such as an idea) to another person to elicit comments or to gain approval
—usually used with off
6
: to return (an email) to the sender with notification of failed delivery
Other potential authors proved simply too hard to reach. E-mails got bounced back, and many phone calls never went through.—
Clark Boyd
Clark Boyd1
: to rebound or reflect after striking a surface (such as the ground)
2
: to recover from a blow or a defeat quickly
—usually used with back
3
: to be returned by a bank because of insufficient funds in a checking account
His checks bounced.
4
a
: to leap suddenly : bound
b
: to walk with springing steps
5
: to hit a baseball so that it hits the ground before it reaches an infielder
6
of an email
: to return to the sender with notification of failed delivery
Gonzalez had the wrong addresses for the local executives, and his emails bounced back.—David Wenner
David Wenner7
: to go quickly and usually repeatedly from one place, situation, job, etc., to another
The story bounces from one parallel universe to the next …—Digby Diehl
Digby DiehlIn the past year, he's been the most visible rapper in the world, bouncing around the globe …—Christian Hoard
Christian Hoard
plural bounces
1
: the act or action of bouncing off the ground or another surface : a rebound off a surface
caught the ball on the second bounce
… his liner … to right-center took an odd bounce off the wall.—Rob Maaddi
Rob Maaddi2
: a sudden increase or improvement in rating or value
As Gore rode his post-convention bounce, the media started eyeballing Bush for signs of anxiety.—Michelle Cottle
Michelle Cottle3
: a lively or energetic quality : verve, liveliness
full of bounce and enthusiasm
still has plenty of bounce in his step
4
: bluster sense 3
In William II the bullying spirit has developed into bounce and swagger …—E. H. C. Oliphant
E. H. C. Oliphant
Synonyms
Examples of bounce in a Sentence
Verb
He was bouncing a tennis ball against the garage door.
bouncing the ball back and forth
The children love to bounce on the bed.
The winner bounced up and down with delight.
Her curls bounced as she jumped.
He bounced the baby on his knee.
She gave me a check for 20 dollars, but the check bounced, and I never got the money.
He bounced a 100-dollar check at the grocery store.
The store charges a $15 fee for a bounced check.
Noun
The ball took a high bounce over the shortstop's head.
He caught the ball on the first bounce.
a basketball that has lost all its bounce
The shampoo promises to give limp hair lots of bounce.
After the debates, she enjoyed a big bounce in the election polls.
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Recent Examples on the WebEric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
Or aren’t well plugged into the medical systems, spend a lot of their time and on the just going bouncing from one place to the other without getting an answer.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2023
Instead, as the angler rhythmically bounces the rod, the tip of the plug swishes across the surface of the water while slowly creeping toward shore.
—Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
The accident happened around 7:45 a.m. on Interstate 70 in West Indianapolis when the wheel bounced over the median and smashed through the upper windshield and roof area of the victim’s car, causing the roof and windshield to collapse, Indiana State Police said.
—Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2023
The ball flew out of Lawrence's hands and bounced to Bigsby, but the referees never blew their whistles even though all 22 players on the field appeared to believe the play was over.
—Akeem Glaspie, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Sep. 2023
With runners on the corners and one out in the second inning, Aaron Hicks bounced an infield single (exit velocity: 78 miles per hour) just over the glove of Bello to score one run.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
After bouncing from job to job as a young adult, Guilbeau decided to help his dad with a small production in Louisiana.
—Wire Services, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2023
In this living room by Warner, the ceiling's glossy finish (Farrow & Ball London Stone) bounces light around, making the ceiling seem higher.
—Rima Suqi, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2023
His movements, a cadence of pulses through his upper torso, with bounces in his shoulders matched by misdirection from his arms and feet, can be reminiscent of a b-boy toprock, a callback to an origin of hip-hop dance.
—Jasper Lo, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2023
The receiver collected the punt off a high bounce, dipped his right shoulder and cut back to his left, leaving the first man toppling to the field.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
On the resulting free kick, Costa drove a low, left-footed shot into the box that Chicago’s Carlos Terán headed down, but the ball took one bounce to Boyd, who volleyed it in with a sweeping left-footed shot for this third goal in his last four MLS games.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2023
One slip, or one unlucky bounce, can still cost you, despite your side running faster, completing more passes, and thoroughly outplaying the opposition.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Aug. 2023
The result of the bounce has meant that billionaire philanthropist Gates—who owns around 1% in the company with 103 million shares—saw his assets balloon by $2 billion.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2023
Saying her hair was full of bounce and volume feels like an understatement.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 15 Aug. 2023
The firm sole is offset nicely by the squishy, cushioned insole, to give great bounce and forward propulsion from step to step.
—Samson McDougall, Health, 4 Aug. 2023
See More
Verb
And a big drive right before the break wound up yielding zero points when the snap on a would-be field-goal attempt was low and bounced to the holder, ruining the try.
—Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
Or aren’t well plugged into the medical systems, spend a lot of their time and on the just going bouncing from one place to the other without getting an answer.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2023
Instead, as the angler rhythmically bounces the rod, the tip of the plug swishes across the surface of the water while slowly creeping toward shore.
—Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
The accident happened around 7:45 a.m. on Interstate 70 in West Indianapolis when the wheel bounced over the median and smashed through the upper windshield and roof area of the victim’s car, causing the roof and windshield to collapse, Indiana State Police said.
—Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2023
The ball flew out of Lawrence's hands and bounced to Bigsby, but the referees never blew their whistles even though all 22 players on the field appeared to believe the play was over.
—Akeem Glaspie, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Sep. 2023
With runners on the corners and one out in the second inning, Aaron Hicks bounced an infield single (exit velocity: 78 miles per hour) just over the glove of Bello to score one run.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
After bouncing from job to job as a young adult, Guilbeau decided to help his dad with a small production in Louisiana.
—Wire Services, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2023
In this living room by Warner, the ceiling's glossy finish (Farrow & Ball London Stone) bounces light around, making the ceiling seem higher.
—Rima Suqi, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
Just make sure any hanging hair has a bit of bounce; limp flyaways will just look sad.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2023
His movements, a cadence of pulses through his upper torso, with bounces in his shoulders matched by misdirection from his arms and feet, can be reminiscent of a b-boy toprock, a callback to an origin of hip-hop dance.
—Jasper Lo, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2023
The receiver collected the punt off a high bounce, dipped his right shoulder and cut back to his left, leaving the first man toppling to the field.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
On the resulting free kick, Costa drove a low, left-footed shot into the box that Chicago’s Carlos Terán headed down, but the ball took one bounce to Boyd, who volleyed it in with a sweeping left-footed shot for this third goal in his last four MLS games.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2023
One slip, or one unlucky bounce, can still cost you, despite your side running faster, completing more passes, and thoroughly outplaying the opposition.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Aug. 2023
The result of the bounce has meant that billionaire philanthropist Gates—who owns around 1% in the company with 103 million shares—saw his assets balloon by $2 billion.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2023
Saying her hair was full of bounce and volume feels like an understatement.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 15 Aug. 2023
The firm sole is offset nicely by the squishy, cushioned insole, to give great bounce and forward propulsion from step to step.
—Samson McDougall, Health, 4 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bounce.' 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
Middle English bounsen
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of bounce was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing bounce
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Dictionary Entries Near bounce
Cite this Entry
“Bounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bounce. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
bounce
1 of 2 verb
bounced; bouncing
1
a
: to cause to rebound
bounce a ball
b
: to spring back or up after striking a surface
2
: to remove from a place by force
3
: to recover quickly from a blow or defeat
bounced back after the loss
4
: to leap suddenly : bound
5
of a check
: to be returned by a bank because of lack of funds in a checking account
More from Merriam-Webster on bounce
Nglish: Translation of bounce for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bounce for Arabic Speakers
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