Bounce vs. Bound — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Bounce refers to a light, springy motion or rebound off a surface. Bound refers to leaping or jumping energetically or being confined within limits.
Difference Between Bounce and Bound
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Key Differences
Bounce often conveys a movement that results from an object coming into contact with a surface and rebounding or reflecting off of it. For instance, a ball, when thrown onto the ground, will bounce back up. Bound, on the other hand, could signify an energetic leap or jump, as seen in deer bounding across a field.
Bounce also implies a certain lightness or springiness. It's the motion we might associate with a rubber ball or the way checks are described when they're not honored due to insufficient funds. Bound has a dual nature. Besides signifying a jump, it can depict being confined within limits, or boundaries.
When something bounces, there's typically an element of elasticity or resilience. This can be physical, as in the case of an object, or metaphorical, as in the case of someone bouncing back from adversity. Bound denotes a greater exertion or force, representing more than a simple hop, but a leap or stride, and when referring to constraints, it implies restriction or limitation.
In casual speech, bounce might refer to someone's enthusiastic demeanor or liveliness ("She has a lot of bounce in her step"), indicating vivacity. Bound, when not referencing a leap, could denote certain restrictions or confines, as in "I am bound by my promises."
Comparison Chart
Meaning 1
A rebound after hitting a surface.
A leap or jump.
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Meaning 2
Reflecting lightness or resilience.
Confinement within certain limits.
Grammatical Use
Often used as a verb or noun.
Can be used as a verb, noun, or adjective.
Common Context
Elastic objects, checks, vivacity.
Leaps, restrictions, commitments.
Derivatives
Bouncy (adj.), Bouncer (n.)
Boundary (n.), Bounded (adj.)
Compare with Definitions
Bounce
To rebound after hitting a surface.
The ball bounced off the wall.
Bound
To leap or jump forward.
The rabbit bound across the meadow.
Bounce
To dismiss or send away.
He was bounced from the club for misbehavior.
Bound
Tied or restrained by an obligation.
He felt bound by his responsibilities.
Bounce
A sudden increase or improvement.
The company saw a bounce in sales last month.
Bound
To border or be adjacent to.
The garden is bound by a tall fence.
Bounce
(with reference to an object, especially a ball) move quickly up, back, or away from a surface after hitting it
He was bouncing the ball against the wall
The ball bounced away and he chased it
Bound
Walk or run with leaping strides
Shares bounded ahead in early dealing
Louis came bounding down the stairs
Bounce
Jump repeatedly up and down, typically on something springy
Emma was happily bouncing up and down on the mattress
Bound
Form the boundary of; enclose
The ground was bounded by a main road on one side and a meadow on the other
Bounce
(of a cheque) be returned by a bank to the payee when there are not enough funds in the drawer's account to meet it
A further two cheques of £160 also bounced
Bound
Past and past participle of bind
Bounce
Eject (a troublemaker) forcibly from a nightclub or similar establishment.
Bound
A leaping movement towards or over something
I went up the steps in two effortless bounds
Bounce
Pressurize (someone) into doing something, typically by presenting them with a fait accompli
The government should beware being bounced into any ill-considered foreign gamble
Bound
A territorial limit; a boundary
The ancient bounds of the forest
Bounce
A rebound of a ball or other object
The wicket was causing the occasional erratic bounce
Bound
Certain to be or to do or have something
There is bound to be a change of plan
Bounce
An act of jumping or of moving up and down jerkily
Every bounce of the truck brought them into fresh contact
Bound
Restricted or confined to a specified place
His job kept him city-bound
Bounce
To rebound after having struck an object or a surface.
Bound
(of a book) having a specified binding
Fine leather-bound books
Bounce
To move jerkily; bump
The car bounced over the potholes.
Bound
(of a grammatical element) occurring only in combination with another form.
Bounce
To bound
Children bouncing into the room.
Bound
Going or ready to go towards a specified place
An express train bound for Edinburgh
The three moon-bound astronauts
Bounce
To be left unpaid because of an overdrawn account
A check that bounced.
Bound
To leap forward or upward; jump; spring
The dog bounded over the gate.
Bounce
(Computers) To be sent back by a mail server as undeliverable
That email bounced because I used "com" instead of "net.".
Bound
To move forward by leaps or springs
The deer bounded into the woods.
Bounce
(Baseball) To hit a ground ball to an infielder
The batter bounced out to the shortstop.
Bound
To spring back from a surface; rebound
The basketball bounded off the backboard.
Bounce
To cause to strike an object or a surface and rebound
Bounce a ball on the sidewalk.
Bound
To set a limit to; confine
A high wall that bounded the prison yard.
Lives that were bounded by poverty.
Bounce
To present or propose for comment or approval. Often used with off
Bounced a few ideas off my boss.
Bound
To constitute the boundary or limit of
A city park that was bounded by busy streets.
Bounce
To expel by force
Bounced him from the bar.
Bound
To identify the boundaries of; demarcate.
Bounce
To dismiss from employment.
Bound
To border on another place, state, or country.
Bounce
To write (a check) on an overdrawn bank account.
Bound
Past tense and past participle of bind.
Bounce
A rebound, as of a ball from the ground.
Bound
A leap; a jump
The deer was away in a single bound.
Bounce
A sudden bound or upward movement
The bike went over the rock with a bounce.
Bound
A springing back from a surface after hitting it; a bounce
Caught the ball on the bound.
Bounce
The capacity to rebound; spring
A ball with bounce.
Bound
Often bounds A boundary; a limit
Our joy knew no bounds. Your remarks exceed the bounds of reason.
Bounce
A sudden increase
Got a bounce in the polls.
Bound
Bounds The territory on, within, or near limiting lines
The bounds of the kingdom.
Bounce
Cheerfulness or liveliness
"He had managed to recover much of his bounce and spirit" (Paul Auster).
Bound
Confined by bonds; tied
Bound hostages.
Bounce
(Slang) Expulsion; dismissal
Was given the bounce from the job.
Bound
Being under legal or moral obligation
Bound by my promise.
Bounce
A fast, energetic style of hip-hop originating in New Orleans and characterized by repetitive, often sexual call-and-response lyrics.
Bound
Equipped with a cover or binding
Bound volumes.
Bounce
A style of dance performed to this music characterized by rapid body movements, especially of the gluteal and hamstring muscles in a way that resembles bouncing while keeping the feet on the ground.
Bound
Predetermined; certain
We're bound to be late.
Bounce
Chiefly British Loud, arrogant speech; bluster.
Bound
Determined; resolved
Many public policy students are bound to be politicians one day.
Bounce
(intransitive) To change the direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.
The tennis ball bounced off the wall before coming to rest in the ditch.
Bound
(Linguistics) Being a form, especially a morpheme, that cannot stand as an independent word, such as a prefix or suffix.
Bounce
(intransitive) To move quickly up and then down, or vice versa, once or repeatedly.
He bounces nervously on his chair.
Bound
Constipated.
Bounce
(transitive) To cause to move quickly up and down, or back and forth, once or repeatedly.
He bounced the child on his knee.
The children were bouncing a ball against a wall.
Bound
Headed or intending to head in a specified direction
Commuters bound for home.
A south-bound train.
Bounce
To suggest or introduce (an idea, etc.) to (off or by) somebody, in order to gain feedback.
I'm meeting Bob later to bounce some ideas off him about the new product range.
Bound
Simple past tense and past participle of bind
I bound the splint to my leg.
I had bound the splint with duct tape.
Bounce
(intransitive) To leap or spring suddenly or unceremoniously; to bound.
She bounced happily into the room.
Bound
To surround a territory or other geographical entity; to form the boundary of.
France, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra bound Spain.
Kansas is bounded by Nebraska on the north, Missouri on the east, Oklahoma on the south and Colorado on the west.
Bounce
To move rapidly (between).
Bound
To be the bound of.
Bounce
To be refused by a bank because it is drawn on insufficient funds.
We can’t accept further checks from you, as your last one bounced.
Bound
(intransitive) To leap, move by jumping.
The rabbit bounded down the lane.
Bounce
To fail to cover have sufficient funds for (a draft presented against one's account).
He tends to bounce a check or two toward the end of each month, before his payday.
Bound
(transitive) To cause to leap.
To bound a horse
Bounce
To leave.
Let’s wrap this up, I gotta bounce.
Bound
To rebound; to bounce.
A rubber ball bounds on the floor
Bounce
To eject violently, as from a room; to discharge unceremoniously, as from employment.
Bound
To cause to rebound; to throw so that it will rebound; to bounce.
To bound a ball on the floor
Bounce
(sometimes employing the preposition with) To have sexual intercourse.
Bound
(with infinitive) Obliged (to).
You are not legally bound to reply.
Bounce
To attack unexpectedly.
The squadron was bounced north of the town.
Bound
That cannot stand alone as a free word.
Bounce
To turn power off and back on; to reset.
See if it helps to bounce the router.
Bound
Constrained by a quantifier.
Bounce
To return undelivered.
What’s your new email address? The old one bounces.
The girl in the bar told me her address was [email protected], but my mail to that address was bounced back by the server.
Bound
(dated) Constipated; costive.
Bounce
To land hard and lift off again due to excess momentum.
The student pilot bounced several times during his landing.
Bound
Confined or restricted to a certain place; e.g. railbound.
Bounce
To land hard at unsurvivable velocity with fatal results.
After the mid-air collision, his rig failed and he bounced.
Bound
Unable to move in certain conditions; e.g. snowbound.
Bounce
To mix (two or more tracks of a multi-track audio tape recording) and record the result onto a single track, in order to free up tracks for further material to be added.
Bounce tracks two and three to track four, then record the cowbell on track two.
Bound
(obsolete) Ready, prepared.
Bounce
To bully; to scold.
Bound
Ready to start or go (to); moving in the direction (of).
Which way are you bound?
Is that message bound for me?
Bounce
To boast; to bluster.
Bound
(with infinitive) Very likely (to), certain to
They were bound to come into conflict eventually.
Bounce
(archaic) To strike or thump, so as to rebound, or to make a sudden noise; to knock loudly.
Bound
A boundary, the border which one must cross in order to enter or leave a territory.
I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
Somewhere within these bounds you may find a buried treasure.
Bounce
A change of direction of motion after hitting the ground or an obstacle.
Bound
(mathematics) A value which is known to be greater or smaller than a given set of values.
Bounce
A movement up and then down (or vice versa), once or repeatedly.
Bound
A sizeable jump, great leap.
The deer crossed the stream in a single bound.
Bounce
(internet) An email that returns to the sender because of a delivery failure.
Bound
A spring from one foot to the other in dancing.
Bounce
The sack, dismissal.
Bound
(dated) A bounce; a rebound.
Bounce
A bang, boom.
Bound
The external or limiting line, either real or imaginary, of any object or space; that which limits or restrains, or within which something is limited or restrained; limit; confine; extent; boundary.
He hath compassed the waters with bounds.
On earth's remotest bounds.
And mete the bounds of hate and love.
Bounce
(archaic) A drink based on brandyW.
Bound
A leap; an elastic spring; a jump.
A bound of graceful hardihood.
Bounce
(archaic) A heavy, sudden, and often noisy, blow or thump.
Bound
Rebound; as, the bound of a ball.
Bounce
(archaic) Bluster; brag; untruthful boasting; audacious exaggeration; an impudent lie; a bouncer.
Bound
Spring from one foot to the other.
Bounce
Scyliorhinus canicula, a European dogfish.
Bound
To limit; to terminate; to fix the furthest point of extension of; - said of natural or of moral objects; to lie along, or form, a boundary of; to inclose; to circumscribe; to restrain; to confine.
Where full measure only bounds excess.
Phlegethon . . .Whose fiery flood the burning empire bounds.
Bounce
(uncountable) A genre of hip-hop music of New Orleans, characterized by often lewd call-and-response chants.
Bound
To name the boundaries of; as, to bound France.
Bounce
Drugs.
Bound
To move with a sudden spring or leap, or with a succession of springs or leaps; as the beast bounded from his den; the herd bounded across the plain.
Before his lord the ready spaniel bounds.
And the waves bound beneath me as a steedThat knows his rider.
Bounce
Swagger.
Bound
To rebound, as an elastic ball.
Bounce
A good beat in music.
Bound
To make to bound or leap; as, to bound a horse.
Bounce
A talent for leaping.
Them pro-ballers got bounce!
Bound
To cause to rebound; to throw so that it will rebound; as, to bound a ball on the floor.
Bounce
To strike or thump, so as to rebound, or to make a sudden noise; a knock loudly.
Another bounces as hard as he can knock.
Against his bosom bounced his heaving heart.
Bound
Restrained by a hand, rope, chain, fetters, or the like.
Bounce
To leap or spring suddenly or unceremoniously; to bound; as, she bounced into the room.
Out bounced the mastiff.
Bounced off his arm+chair.
Bound
Inclosed in a binding or cover; as, a bound volume.
Bounce
To boast; to talk big; to bluster.
Bound
Under legal or moral restraint or obligation.
Bounce
To drive against anything suddenly and violently; to bump; to thump.
Bound
Constrained or compelled; destined; certain; - followed by the infinitive; as, he is bound to succeed; he is bound to fail.
Bounce
To cause to bound or rebound; sometimes, to toss.
Bound
Resolved; as, I am bound to do it.
Bounce
To eject violently, as from a room; to discharge unceremoniously, as from employment.
Bound
Constipated; costive.
Bounce
To bully; to scold.
Bound
Ready or intending to go; on the way toward; going; - with to or for, or with an adverb of motion; as, a ship is bound to Cadiz, or for Cadiz.
Bounce
A sudden leap or bound; a rebound.
Bound
A line determining the limits of an area
Bounce
A heavy, sudden, and often noisy, blow or thump.
The bounce burst open the door.
Bound
The line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something
Bounce
An explosion, or the noise of one.
Bound
A light springing movement upwards or forwards
Bounce
Bluster; brag; untruthful boasting; audacious exaggeration; an impudent lie; a bouncer.
Bound
Move forward by leaps and bounds;
The horse bounded across the meadow
The child leapt across the puddle
Can you jump over the fence?
Bounce
A dogfish of Europe (Scyllium catulus).
Bound
Form the boundary of; be contiguous to
Bounce
With a sudden leap; suddenly.
This impudent puppy comes bounce in upon me.
Bound
Place limits on (extent or access);
Restrict the use of this parking lot
Limit the time you can spend with your friends
Bounce
The quality of a substance that is able to rebound
Bound
Spring back; spring away from an impact;
The rubber ball bounced
These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide
Bounce
A light springing movement upwards or forwards
Bound
Held with another element, substance or material in chemical or physical union
Bounce
Rebounding from an impact (or series of impacts)
Bound
Confined by bonds;
Bound and gagged hostages
Bounce
Spring back; spring away from an impact;
The rubber ball bounced
These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide
Bound
Secured with a cover or binding; often used as a combining form;
Bound volumes
Leather-bound volumes
Bounce
Hit something so that it bounces;
Bounce a ball
Bound
(usually followed by `to') governed by fate;
Bound to happen
An old house destined to be demolished
He is destined to be famous
Bounce
Move up and down repeatedly
Bound
Covered or wrapped with a bandage;
The bandaged wound on the back of his head
An injury bound in fresh gauze
Bounce
Come back after being refused;
The check bounced
Bound
Headed or intending to head in a certain direction; often used as a combining form as in `college-bound students';
Children bound for school
A flight destined for New York
Bounce
Leap suddenly;
He bounced to his feet
Bound
Bound by an oath;
A bound official
Bounce
Refuse to accept and send back;
Bounce a check
Bound
Bound by contract
Bounce
Eject from the premises;
The ex-boxer's job is to bounce people who want to enter this private club
Bound
Confined in the bowels;
He is bound in the belly
Bounce
To move or walk in a lively manner.
She bounced into the room with excitement.
Bound
Certain or destined to.
I am bound to keep that promise.
Bounce
A springy or resilient quality.
The mattress has a good bounce to it.
Bound
A limit or boundary.
We must not cross our ethical bounds.
Common Curiosities
What does "bounce" typically mean?
Bounce typically refers to a light, springy motion or rebound off a surface.
Can "bound" signify restriction?
Yes, it can also mean being confined within limits or obligations.
Is "bounce" only a verb?
No, "bounce" can be both a verb and a noun, as in "The ball took a high bounce."
How is "bound" related to jumping?
Bound can mean to leap or jump energetically.
How does "bouncing a check" relate to the primary meaning of bounce?
It's a metaphorical use, meaning the check was returned (or "bounced back") due to insufficient funds.
Can "bound" be used to describe a certain journey?
Yes, as in "westward bound," indicating a journey heading west.
Can "bounce" be used metaphorically?
Yes, it can signify resilience or recovery, as in "bouncing back from failure."
Does "bound" have a noun form related to books?
Yes, it can refer to the way pages are fastened together, as in a "leather-bound book."
Is "bound" used in geography?
Yes, it can refer to borders or limits, as in "the northern bound of the country."
Can "bound" signify a relationship between areas?
Yes, as in "The park is bound by roads," meaning it's surrounded by roads.
How do you describe someone with a lively personality?
You could say they have "a lot of bounce in their step."
Can "bound" be an adjective?
Yes, as in "I'm bound to succeed," meaning destined or determined to.
What's the difference between "bounce" and "rebound"?
Both imply a return motion, but "bounce" often suggests a lighter, springy action, while "rebound" can be more general.
What is the adjective form of "bounce"?
The adjective form is "bouncy," as in "a bouncy ball."
Do "bounce" and "bound" have any similar meanings?
Both can relate to upward motion, but "bounce" typically refers to a rebound, while "bound" signifies a leap or jump.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
