Spring — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈspriŋ/

Meaning & Definition of Spring

Spring (verb)

  1. dart, shoot
  2. to be resilient or elastic; also, to move by elastic force
  3. to become warped
  4. to fit with springs

Spring (noun)

  1. a source of supply; especially, a source of water issuing from the ground
  2. an ultimate source especially of action or motion
  3. spring tide

Spring (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act of leaping into the air

    "the deer gave a sudden spring and disappeared into the woods"

    similar: bound, hop, jump, leap, vault
    related: bounce, lope, skip, caper, capriole, gambado, gambol, attack, pounce, dive, pitch, plunge

  2. a point or place at which something is invented or provided

    "the springs of this time-honored tradition run too deep to allow for easy explanation"

    similar: cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, source, well, wellspring
    related: beginning, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold, baseline, first base, ground zero, square one

Spring (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come into existence

    "when it comes to love and romance, hope springs eternally"

    similar: actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, start
    related: be, breathe, exist, live, subsist, arrive, come on, emerge, coalesce, cohere, shape (up), continue, endure, last, persist, survive
    opposite: cease, end, stop
    near: conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate, disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish, depart, die, expire, pass away, perish

  2. to propel oneself upward or forward into the air

    "the cat sprang and pounced on the mouse"

    similar: bound, hop, jump, leap, vault
    related: bounce, hurdle, leapfrog, lope, skip, buck, caper, capriole, cavort, frolic, gambol, romp, attack, pounce, shoot, skyrocket

  3. to set free (as from slavery or confinement)

    "had to spend a night in jail until their lawyer could come to spring them"

    similar: discharge, disenthrall, emancipate, enfranchise, enlarge, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter, turn loose
    related: bail (out), deliver, parole, ransom, redeem, rescue, save, disembarrass, disencumber, disengage, disentangle, extricate, unshackle
    opposite: bind, confine, enchain, fetter, restrain
    near: handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel, commit, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, lock (up), conquer, enslave, subdue, subjugate

Related Entry: Spring (for) (verb)

Spring (for) is a different word from Spring. The synonyms below are for spring (for), not for spring.

  1. to give what is owed for

    "offered to spring for dinner for the whole gang"

    similar: ante (up), balance, clear, discharge, foot, liquidate, meet, pay, pay off, pay up, pony up, quit, recompense, settle, stand
    opposite: repudiate

Related Entry: Spring (up) (verb)

Spring (up) is a different word from Spring. The synonyms below are for spring (up), not for spring.

  1. to come to one's attention especially gradually or unexpectedly

    "a new issue sprang up at yesterday's meeting of the school board"

    similar: arise, come up, crop (up), emerge, materialize, surface
    related: appear, come out, show up, turn up, chance, come, come about, fall out, go (on), go off, hap, happen, occur, pass, transpire, interfere, interpose, intervene, intrude

Related Entry: Spring wagon (noun)

Spring wagon is a different word from Spring. The synonyms below are for spring wagon, not for spring.

  1. as in dray, jolt-wagon

    similar: dray, jolt-wagon (Midland), oxcart, wagonette, cart, wagon, wain, barrow, hand truck, pushcart, tram, truck, wheelbarrow

Related Entry: Spring wagons (noun)

Spring wagons is a different word from Spring. The synonyms below are for spring wagons, not for spring.

  1. as in drays, jolt-wagons

    similar: drays, jolt-wagons (Midland), oxcarts, wagonettes, carts, wagons, wains, barrows, hand trucks, pushcarts, trams, trucks, wheelbarrows

Related Entry: Hot spring (noun)

Hot spring is a different word from Spring. The synonyms below are for hot spring, not for spring.

  1. as in spring, headspring

    similar: fountain, fountainhead, geyser, headspring, spring, wellspring, head, headstream, headwater, source, branch, feeder, tributary

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Spring

The most common words with a similar meaning to Spring:

bound, hop, jump, leap, vault, cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, source, well, wellspring, actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, start, discharge, disenthrall, emancipate, enfranchise, enlarge, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release, unbind

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Spring

Words with the opposite meaning of Spring:

cease, end, stop, bind, confine, enchain, fetter, restrain

Related Words for Spring

bounce, lope, skip, caper, capriole, gambado, gambol, attack, pounce, dive, pitch, plunge, beginning, commencement, day one, genesis, get-go, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, threshold, baseline, first base

Near Antonyms of Spring

conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate, disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish, depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel, commit, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, lock (up), conquer, enslave, subdue

Word Forms of Spring

Inflections: sprang, sprung, springing

Derived words: springlike (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Spring

Middle English, from Old English springan; akin to Old High German springan to jump and perhaps to Greek sperchesthai to hasten

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Spring

Words & Phrases Containing Spring

spring beauty, spring bolt, spring chicken, spring-cleaning, spring fever

Frequently Asked Questions about Spring

What does "Spring" mean?

"Spring" means dart, shoot. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: dart, shoot. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Spring"?

Other words for "Spring" include bound, hop, jump, leap, vault, cradle, font and fountain. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Spring" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Spring"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Spring". Common alternatives include bound, hop, jump, leap, vault, cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead and origin.

What is the opposite of "Spring"?

Antonyms of "Spring" include cease, end, stop, bind, confine, enchain, fetter and restrain. Near antonyms include conclude, desist, discontinue and finish.

How do you use "Spring" in a sentence?

Examples of "Spring" in a sentence: "the deer gave a sudden spring and disappeared into the woods"; "the springs of this time-honored tradition run too deep to allow for easy explanation"; "when it comes to love and romance, hope springs eternally".

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

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

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

As an A1-level word, "Spring" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Spring"?

"Spring" is pronounced /ˈspriŋ/.