spring 1 of 2

noun

Definition of springnext
1
as in leap
an act of leaping into the air the deer gave a sudden spring and disappeared into the woods

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in source
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

spring

2 of 2

verb

ˈspriŋ How to pronounce spring (audio)
1
as in to start
to come into existence when it comes to love and romance, hope springs eternally

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leap
to propel oneself upward or forward into the air the cat sprang and pounced on the mouse

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to release
to set free (as from slavery or confinement) had to spend a night in jail until their lawyer could come to spring them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb spring differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spring are arise, derive, emanate, flow, issue, originate, proceed, rise, and stem. While all these words mean "to come up or out of something into existence," spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

How do arise and rise relate to one another, in the sense of spring?

Arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen
slowly rose to prominence

When is it sensible to use derive instead of spring?

In some situations, the words derive and spring are roughly equivalent. However, derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

Where would emanate be a reasonable alternative to spring?

While in some cases nearly identical to spring, emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

How are the words flow and spring related?

Flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

When might issue be a better fit than spring?

Although the words issue and spring have much in common, issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

When would originate be a good substitute for spring?

The meanings of originate and spring largely overlap; however, originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

When could proceed be used to replace spring?

The synonyms proceed and spring are sometimes interchangeable, but proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

In what contexts can stem take the place of spring?

While the synonyms stem and spring are close in meaning, stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spring
Noun
The exact date is yet to be decided, but internally, Apple isn't expecting a date beyond spring, sources tell Bloomberg. —Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 June 2025 Strnad and Sanders, in particular, will be counted on this fall in some capacity and Payton said the extensive work this spring should continue to pay dividends. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
Verb
Breakfast cereal For Dada, three cereals with high fiber value immediately spring to mind: Grape-Nuts (seven grams of fiber per half cup), shredded wheat (this Post Consumer Brands cereal contains eight grams per 1 and 1/3 cups), and bran flakes (Kashi Go Lean Crunch packs 12 grams per cup). —Caroline Tien, SELF, 9 June 2025 Beachgoers in Florida sprung into action to try to save a 5-year-old who was drowning. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for spring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spring
  1. leap
  2. source
  3. start
  4. jump
  5. release
  6. hop
  7. cradle
  8. begin
Noun
  • Don’t take big leaps that don’t align with your desires (i.e., with no chance for reward).
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
  • The story is thoughtful and also takes provocative leaps: Mark envisions conversations with saints whose sexuality was erased in interpretations of the Bible.
    — George Gene Gustines, New York Times, 1 June 2025
Definition of leap
Noun
  • Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Climate change and shifting food sources are also causing species-wide population declines, the experts said.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 8 June 2025
Definition of source
Verb
  • The Shaun of the Dead star is preparing to start filming Harry Potter this summer, but is not concerned by the risk that the lavish series could be overshadowed by Rowling’s strident views on gender issues.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 June 2025
  • The project started back in 2020 with the objective of appealing beyond video game or animation fans, targeting mainstream audiences and techno-thriller enthusiasts.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 9 June 2025
Definition of start
Verb
  • Know the risks before diving in Not everyone should jump into a cold tub or crank up the heat.
    — Novant Health, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2025
  • That opening-apocalypse chapter is presented as Act III of a narrative triptych that’s moving backward and which now jumps to Chuck himself (Tom Hiddleston), a middle-aged and largely undistinguished accountant in town for a conference.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Definition of jump
Verb
  • An Arizona murderer was sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison on May 27 after killing a second person only 16 days after he was released in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.
    — Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2025
  • Generic drugs, which are designed to provide the same therapeutic effects as brand-name ones and are released after their patents expire, account for 90% of all prescriptions in the US.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Definition of release
Noun
  • Kudos to Kendrick for breaking these barriers as a hip hop artist, because the game is changing and the artists have to change with it.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 June 2025
  • On a short United hop from Chicago O'Hare to Peoria, Illinois, a single ticket cost $269.
    — Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Definition of hop
Noun
  • The president was undeterred, and the flights resumed the very next day, filled with cardboard file boxes that had been repurposed into makeshift cradles.
    — Jim Axelrod June 9, CBS News, 9 June 2025
  • The lifestyle appeal of the M2 Pro is instantly obvious in its eye-catching design, which sees a roughly cubic, tan-colored body attached to a crisp metallic supporting cradle within which the projector can be rotated to get its images appearing at the right height on your wall or screen.
    — John Archer, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of cradle
Verb
  • Meanwhile, in the UFC 316 PPV card co-headliner, Julianna Pena begins her second stint as the women’s 135-pound champ against former PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • But what began as an ordinary evening would soon become one of the region's most haunting cold cases.
    — Christina Coulter, People.com, 7 June 2025
Definition of begin

Phrases Containing spring

Browse Nearby Words

sprigs
spring
spring (for)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spring. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on spring

Nglish: Translation of spring for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All