bounce

bounce — verb

1. to spring away after hitting the ground, a wall, or another surface, or to make

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to spring away after hitting the ground, a wall, or another surface, or to make something move with short repeated jumps or shaking.

Example

The tennis ball bounced off the fence and rolled under a car.

pattern: bounce off + surface

Priya bounced the basketball twice before passing to her brother.

transitive: bounce + object

Common collocations
  • bounce off the wall
  • bounce the ball
  • bounce along the road
  • bounce against the door
  • bounce a baby on your knee
Synonyms
  • rebound

    more formal; common in sports, science, and figurative writing.

  • spring back

    stresses quick return after pressure or impact.

  • bob

    usually means small repeated up-and-down movement, often on water.

Antonyms
  • drop

    move downward without springing back up.

  • sink

    go lower and stay low instead of coming back.

Grammar Patterns

bounce off + surface

bounce + object

bounce + object + on someone's knee

bounce along/against

Usage Note

Often followed by 'off', 'against', or 'along'. Transitive uses usually involve balls, babies, vehicles, or signals being moved in short repeated jumps. Distinguish from sense 2, which adds a cheerful or excited feeling.

Common Mistakes

The ball bounced to the wall.
The ball bounced off the wall.
use 'off' when the ball hits a surface and comes away from it.

2. to move with quick, cheerful energy, as if you are too excited or happy to stay

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to move with quick, cheerful energy, as if you are too excited or happy to stay still.

Example

Hana bounced into the kitchen with her exam results in hand.

pattern: bounce into + place

The children bounced around the yard when the ice-cream truck arrived.

pattern: bounce around + place

Common collocations
  • bounce into the room
  • bounce around the house
  • bounce across the stage
  • bounce on your toes
Synonyms
  • skip

    often lighter and more playful; can suggest childlike movement.

  • bound

    stronger and bigger in movement; often a long jump or leap.

  • prance

    more showy and often used for proud or exaggerated movement.

Antonyms
  • trudge

    move slowly and heavily, often because of tiredness.

  • shuffle

    move with small dragging steps, not energetic ones.

Grammar Patterns

bounce into + place

bounce around + place

bounce across + place

bounce on your toes

Usage Note

Often followed by words like 'into', 'around', 'across', or 'on'. Unlike sense 1, the focus here is not on striking a surface but on the person's lively manner.

3. if a cheque or check bounces, the bank will not pay it because the account does

3.verbtransitive / intransitive
Definition

if a cheque or check bounces, the bank will not pay it because the account does not contain enough money; a bank can also bounce it.

Example

Our rent cheque bounced, so the landlord called that afternoon.

pattern: a cheque/check bounces

The bank bounced Yusuf's cheque after three bills cleared first.

transitive: bounce a cheque/check

Common collocations
  • rent cheque bounced
  • bounce a cheque
  • insufficient funds
  • penalty fee
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • clear

    be accepted and paid by the bank.

Grammar Patterns

a cheque/check bounces

bounce a cheque/check

Usage Note

Usually used with 'cheque' or 'check' as the subject or object. The problem is lack of money in the account, not a technical delivery error like sense 4.

Common Mistakes

My cheque failed because I forgot to add money.
My cheque bounced because I forgot to add money.
this verb is used when a bank refuses payment for lack of funds.

4. to have an email come back to the sender because it cannot reach the address, or

4.verbtransitive / intransitiveC2
Definition

to have an email come back to the sender because it cannot reach the address, or to have a mail system send it back in this way.

Example

My message to the hotel bounced because I typed the address wrongly.

pattern: an email bounces

The system bounced Omar's email after the mail server went down.

transitive: bounce an email

Common collocations
  • email bounced
  • message bounced
  • mail server
  • wrong address
Synonyms
  • be returned

    general result phrase; not specific about email systems.

  • fail

    broader computing word; can refer to many kinds of system problems.

  • be undeliverable

    more formal and common in technical notices.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

an email bounces

bounce an email

bounce back to the sender

Usage Note

Usually used with 'email', 'message', or 'address'. Unlike sense 3, the failure is about delivery, often because the address is wrong or the server cannot receive the message.

5. to mention an idea to someone so that you can hear their reaction or find out wh

5.verbtransitive
Definition

to mention an idea to someone so that you can hear their reaction or find out whether they approve of it.

Example

Can I bounce a plan off you before tomorrow's meeting?

pattern: bounce an idea off someone

Ravi bounced his app idea off two teachers during lunch.

Common collocations
  • bounce an idea off someone
  • bounce a plan off someone
  • bounce a suggestion off someone
Synonyms
  • run by

    close everyday equivalent; often used for plans or decisions.

  • sound out

    stresses testing another person's opinion before acting.

  • float

    often used when an idea is offered lightly to see how people respond.

Grammar Patterns

bounce an idea off someone

bounce a plan off someone

bounce something off someone

Usage Note

Most common in the pattern 'bounce an idea off someone'. It suggests an informal check for reactions, not a formal request for permission.

Common Mistakes

I bounced my idea to my boss.
I bounced my idea off my boss.
this pattern normally uses 'off' before the person you ask.

6. to throw someone out of a job, team, building, or similar place, usually suddenl

6.verbtransitive
Definition

to throw someone out of a job, team, building, or similar place, usually suddenly and not by choice.

Example

The club bounced two players after the late-night fight.

pattern: bounce someone from + team

Security bounced the drunk customer from the concert hall.

pattern: bounce someone from + place

Common collocations
  • bounce a player
  • bounce the manager
  • bounce someone from the club
  • bounce a guest
Synonyms
  • fire

    standard and common for removing someone from a job.

  • kick out

    very informal; especially common for removing someone from a place.

  • expel

    more formal; often used for schools, groups, or official removal.

Antonyms
  • keep

    allow someone to stay in a job, team, or place.

  • admit

    allow someone to enter a place or join a group.

Grammar Patterns

bounce someone from + place

bounce someone from + team

bounce someone from + job

Usage Note

Informal. The object is a person, and the job, team, or place often follows with 'from'. Standard business English more often uses 'fire' for a job, while 'bounce' also works for being thrown out of a place.

Phrasal verbs

bounce back

phrasal verb

To recover quickly from a setback, illness, or disappointment.

After losing the game, the team bounced back with a win.

Sara bounced back from her cold in just two days.

bounce into

phrasal verb

To enter a place quickly and energetically, often with enthusiasm.

Diego bounced into the room with a big smile.

The puppy bounced into the kitchen looking for food.

Idioms

be bouncing off the walls

idiom

To be extremely energetic or excited, making it hard to stay calm or still.

After drinking soda, the children were bouncing off the walls.

Maya was bouncing off the walls before her birthday party.

bounce — noun

Word family

  • bouncy
    adjectiveB2
  • bouncer
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Bounce' is the everyday word for a ball, body, or vehicle that hits something and comes up again, or for making it do that. 'Rebound' is more formal and often appears in sports, science, or news writing. 'Spring back' stresses quick return after pressure or bending, so it fits branches, doors, or elastic material better than balls on the floor. 'Bob' usually describes small repeated up-and-down movement, especially on water or while walking, and it does not strongly suggest impact. So a basketball bounces on the court, light can rebound from glass, a bent ruler can spring back, and a small boat can bob on the waves.

bouncereboundspring backbob

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

Recorded in Middle English as 'bounsen'. The early form referred to a heavy hit or sudden springing movement, and the modern sense of striking a surface and coming back grew from that physical idea. The deeper origin is uncertain, so the safest history is simply Middle English into modern English.