Meaning & use
leap
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To jump suddenly and with force, often over a distance or to a height.
Grammar: No object; often followed by a preposition like over, into, or across: The cat leaped onto the table.
Patterns
- leap over something
- leap into something
- leap across something
- leap from something to something
The dog leaped over the fence and ran into the field.
She leaped into the pool with a loud splash.
He leaped from the burning building and landed safely on the mat.
verbintransitive
To move quickly and suddenly, especially to a new position or situation.
Grammar: Often used with to or into to show a change: The company leaped to success.
Patterns
- leap to something
- leap into something
- leap at something
The singer leaped to fame after her first album.
He leaped at the chance to work abroad.
The team leaped into action when the alarm sounded.
nouncountable
A big jump or a sudden increase or change.
Grammar: Countable; often used with an or the: a leap in prices, the leap forward.
Patterns
- a leap in something
- a leap forward
- a leap of faith
There has been a huge leap in the cost of housing this year.
The discovery was a major leap forward in medicine.
Starting her own business was a leap of faith for her.
Word forms
| third person singular | leaps |
|---|---|
| past tense | leaped |
| past participle | leaped |
| -ing form | leaping |
| past tense (irregular) | leapt |
| past participle (irregular) | leapt |
Common combinations
- leap at the chance
- She leaped at the chance to study in Paris.
- leap of faith
- Believing his story required a leap of faith.
- leap forward
- The new technology is a leap forward for clean energy.
- leap to fame
- The young actor leaped to fame overnight.
- leap year
- 2024 is a leap year, so February has 29 days.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jump
- More general and common; leap suggests a bigger, more forceful or dramatic movement.
- spring
- Suggests a quick, light movement, often upward or forward, while leap can be longer or more powerful.
- bound
- Often means a series of large jumps, as of an animal, while leap is usually a single jump.
- vault
- Means to jump over something using your hands or a pole, a more specific action than leap.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: leap or leap?
leap vs leap
Not to be confused with 'leap' as in 'leap year' (a calendar term) and 'leap' as a verb; the same word has both uses.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'leap' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Leap over' means to jump across something from one side to the other. 'Leap the fence' is not standard; 'leap on' suggests jumping onto the fence, and 'leap at' is used for accepting an opportunity, not for crossing an obstacle.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “leap”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.