boulder

noun

boul·​der ˈbōl-dər How to pronounce boulder (audio)
variants or less commonly bowlder
: a detached and rounded or much-worn mass of rock
bouldered adjective
bouldery adjective

Examples of boulder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The most accessible trail in the west park is Signal Hill, which passes boulders covered in Hohokam petroglyphs. Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 Apr. 2026 The car hit a landscape boulder, went airborne and crashed into the church’s second story before landing on the ground near the building. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026 These can be used to create a border around medium or large, rounded river rocks or boulders. Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026 Ponds is a small corner who, like his new head coach, plays like a man twice his own size — with a boulder on his shoulder the size of New Jersey. Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boulder

Word History

Etymology

short for boulder stone, from Middle English bulder ston, partial translation of a word of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect bullersten large stone in a stream, from buller noise + sten stone

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boulder was in 1607

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boulder. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

boulder

noun
boul·​der ˈbōl-dər How to pronounce boulder (audio)
: a large detached and rounded or worn mass of rock

Geographical Definition

Boulder

geographical name

Boul·​der ˈbōl-dər How to pronounce Boulder (audio)
city northwest of Denver in north central Colorado population 97,385

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