bounce

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To spring back from a surface after hitting it, or to make something do this.

   Grammar: Used with or without an object: the ball bounced; she bounced the ball.

   Patterns

   • bounce off something
   • bounce something off something

   The ball bounced off the wall.

   She bounced the ball twice before serving.

   Light bounces off the water.

2. 2verbintransitive

   To move up and down again and again, or to jump lightly.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by up and down.

   Patterns

   • bounce up and down
   • bounce around

   The children bounced on the trampoline.

   The bus bounced along the rough road.

   He bounced into the room, full of energy.

3. 3verbintransitiveinformal

   Of a cheque or an email, to be refused or sent back, for example because of lack of funds or a wrong address.

   Grammar: No object: the check bounced.

   Patterns

   • a check bounces
   • an email bounces

   His check bounced because his account was empty.

   The email bounced back because the address was wrong.

   Two payments bounced last month.

4. 4verbtransitiveinformal

   To try out ideas by saying them to other people.

   Grammar: Used in the phrase bounce an idea off someone.

   Patterns

   • bounce something off someone

   Let me bounce this idea off you.

   They bounced ideas off each other for hours.

   I bounced the plan off my manager.

Word forms

Common combinations

bounce back

The economy bounced back after the crisis.

bounce an idea off

I wanted to bounce an idea off my team.

bounce off the walls

The kids were bouncing off the walls with excitement.

a check bounces

The landlord complained that the check bounced.

bounce up and down

The puppy bounced up and down at the door.

Synonyms and how they differ

rebound

Rebound is more formal and emphasizes coming back after impact.

spring

Spring suggests a quick sudden jump rather than repeated movement.

bob

Bob describes a lighter up-and-down movement, often on water.

recover

Recover fits the figurative bounce back, but is plainer and less lively.

Opposites

Word family

bouncy adjective

lively or able to spring back easily

bouncer noun

a person who removes troublemakers from a club

bouncing adjective

healthy and full of energy, as in a bouncing baby

bounce noun

a rebound or a lively quality

Commonly confused: bounce or bound?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “bounce”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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