Bounce — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈbau̇n(t)s/

Meaning & Definition of Bounce

Bounce (verb)

  1. beat, bump
  2. to cause to rebound or be reflected
  3. dismiss, fire

Bounce (noun)

  1. the act or action of bouncing off the ground or another surface, a rebound off a surface
  2. a sudden increase or improvement in rating or value
  3. a lively or energetic quality, verve, liveliness

Bounce (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to drive or force out

    "the bar doesn't hesitate to bounce customers for getting rowdy"

    similar: banish, boot (out), cast out, chase, dismiss, drum (out), eject, expel, extrude, kick out, oust, out, rout, run off, throw out, turf (out) (chiefly British), turn out, give one the gate (slang), send packing
    related: deforce, deport, displace, dispossess, evict, exile, expatriate, ostracize, read out, shut out, ax, can, cashier, defenestrate, discharge, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate
    near: accept, admit, receive, take, take in, welcome, entertain, harbor, house, lodge, shelter

  2. to strike and fly off at an angle

    "most of my shots bounce off the rim of the basket"

    similar: carom, glance, rebound, ricochet, skim, skip
    related: brush, graze, nudge, rake, shave, sweep, bump, contact, hit, kiss, touch, sideswipe, reflect

  3. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "I'll bounce you if I catch you talking that way again"

    similar: ax, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door
    related: downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate
    opposite: employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    near: keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

  4. to set before the mind for consideration

    "we bounced several script suggestions off the producers, but they weren't interested in any of them"

    similar: advance, offer, pose, proffer, propose, propound, suggest, vote, put forth, put forward
    related: move, nominate, recommend, present, submit, tender, trot out, file, lay, lodge, arrange, calculate, chart, contrive, cover, frame, map, plan, plot, shape

  5. to move with a light springing step

    "the girl bounced excitedly alongside her parents as they hurried toward the entrance to the amusement park"

    similar: bound, hop, lollop, lope, skip, trip
    related: caper, frisk, gambol, romp, skim, skitter, jump, leap, vault
    near: lumber, plod, trudge

Bounce (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. active strength of body or mind

    "the new pop group has real bounce that serves them well in their videos"

    similar: beans, brio, dash, drive, dynamism, energy, esprit, gas, get-up-and-go, ginger, go, gusto, hardihood, juice, life, moxie, oomph, pep, punch, sap, snap, starch, verve, vigor, vim, vinegar, vitality, zing, zip
    related: animal spirits, animation, briskness, jauntiness, liveliness, snappiness, spirit, spiritedness, sprightliness, spunk, spunkiness, vibrance, vibrancy, vivaciousness, vivacity, ardor, élan, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, main, metal, mettle, might, muscle, potency, power, puissance, stamina, strength, brawniness, fitness, hardiness, huskiness, sturdiness, virility, health, healthiness, soundness, verdure, wellness
    opposite: lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, torpidity
    near: indolence, laziness, debilitation, debility, delicacy, disablement, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, impotence, impotency, infirmity, powerlessness, puniness, slightness, softness, tenderness, weakness, enervation, exhaustion, inanition, prostration

Related Entry: Bounce (back) (verb)

Bounce (back) is a different word from Bounce. The synonyms below are for bounce (back), not for bounce.

  1. to regain a former or normal state

    "once the cleanup from the hurricane is completed, business owners are hoping that tourism quickly bounces back"

    similar: come back, rally, rebound, recover, snap back, make a comeback
    related: reanimate, revitalize, revive
    near: decline, fail, worsen

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bounce

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bounce:

Chiefly British: turf (out)
Slang: give one the gate
banish, boot (out), cast out, chase, dismiss, drum (out), eject, expel, extrude, kick out, oust, out, rout, run off, throw out, turn out, carom, glance, rebound, ricochet, skim, skip, ax, can, cashier, discharge, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn off, advance, offer, pose, proffer, propose

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bounce

Words with the opposite meaning of Bounce:

employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on, lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, torpidity

Related Words for Bounce

deforce, deport, displace, dispossess, evict, exile, expatriate, ostracize, read out, shut out, defenestrate, brush, graze, nudge, rake, shave, sweep, bump, contact, hit, kiss, touch, sideswipe, reflect, downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, chuck (out)

Near Antonyms of Bounce

accept, admit, receive, take, take in, welcome, entertain, harbor, house, lodge, shelter, keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit, lumber, plod, trudge, indolence, laziness, debilitation, debility, delicacy, disablement, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness

Word Forms of Bounce

Inflections: bounced, bouncing, bounces

Origin & Etymology of Bounce

Middle English bounsen

First known use: 13th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bounce

Words & Phrases Containing Bounce

bounce house, bounce around, bounce back, bounce into, bounce off, bounce off the walls, bounce pass, dead-cat bounce

Frequently Asked Questions about Bounce

What does "Bounce" mean?

"Bounce" means beat, bump. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: beat, bump. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bounce"?

Other words for "Bounce" include banish, boot (out), cast out, chase, dismiss, drum (out), eject and expel. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bounce" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bounce"?

There are 184 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bounce". Common alternatives include banish, boot (out), cast out, chase, dismiss, drum (out), eject, expel, extrude and kick out.

What is the opposite of "Bounce"?

Antonyms of "Bounce" include employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on, lethargy and listlessness. Near antonyms include accept, admit, receive and take.

How do you use "Bounce" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bounce" in a sentence: "the bar doesn't hesitate to bounce customers for getting rowdy"; "most of my shots bounce off the rim of the basket"; "I'll bounce you if I catch you talking that way again".

Is "Bounce" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bounce" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Bounce" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Bounce" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bounce"?

"Bounce" is pronounced /ˈbau̇n(t)s/.