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Synonyms

bouldering

American  
[bohl-der-ing] / ˈboʊl dər ɪŋ /

noun

  1. Also bowldering pavement made with small boulders.

  2. the sport or activity of rock climbing on boulders usually no taller than 20 feet (6.1 m).

bouldering British  
/ ˈbəʊldərɪŋ /

noun

  1. rock climbing on large boulders or small outcrops either as practice or as a sport in its own right

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bouldering

First recorded in 1875–80; from earlier boulder “to pave with boulder(s) ” + -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I've got more motivation to do things, especially when it comes to training. I feel stronger when I'm lifting and bouldering, and I can also think more clearly."

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025

Alpine climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering and stuff like that.

From Salon • Aug. 9, 2024

With offerings like bouldering competitions. rappelling classes and phone app-activated routes, these gyms around Los Angeles and Orange County, well, rock.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2024

This year, however, scoring has changed, so one Olympic gold medal will be awarded to the winner of speed, and another for the combination of bouldering and lead climbing.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 7, 2024

The results also hinted at the existence of a new cryptic species of the common bouldering coral, Porites lutea.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.