Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

trampoline

American  
[tram-puh-leen, tram-puh-leen, -lin] / ˌtræm pəˈlin, ˈtræm pəˌlin, -lɪn /

noun

  • trampolines
    plural
  1. a sheet, usually of canvas, attached by resilient cords or springs to a horizontal frame several feet above the floor, used by acrobats and gymnasts as a springboard in tumbling.

  2. Nautical. a fabric deck stretched on the braces connecting the hulls of a catamaran or trimaran, resembling a gymnastic trampoline.


trampoline British  
/ -ˌliːn, ˈtræmpəlɪn /

noun

  1. a tough canvas sheet suspended by springs or elasticated cords from a frame, used by acrobats, gymnasts, etc

"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

verb

  1. (intr) to exercise on a trampoline

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of trampoline

1790–1800; variant of trampolin < Italian trampolino springboard, equivalent to trampol ( i ) stilts (< Germanic; see trample) + -ino -ine 1

Explanation

A trampoline is a piece of gym equipment that's made for bouncing. Some people have trampolines in their yards so they can bounce and flip whenever they want to, while others go to trampoline parks to fulfill their bouncing needs. Professional trampolines are extremely sturdy, made of a large piece of durable fabric stretched tightly across a raised frame of springs. It may appear that the surface of a trampoline is stretchy, but it's actually the springs that provide the bounce, not the fabric. Jumping on a trampoline can be dangerous, especially if there are several people doing it at the same time. Trampoline comes from the Spanish trampolin, "springboard."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

See Examples For:

Lucky Strike, which rebranded from Bowlero Corporation in 2024, wants bowling to appeal to the same people who frequent party-style golf ranges or trampoline parks.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 2, 2026

When I was able to play on a trampoline with them, play football with them in the garden, I loved being a dad.

From BBC Feb. 10, 2026

The resulting patchy surfaces drew criticism at the 2024 Copa America, with players complaining of "frustrating" pitches that felt like "a trampoline."

From Barron's Feb. 7, 2026

So it’s all the more precious a gift, then, to accompany your best buddy to that high-octane trampoline fitness class.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 2, 2025

My brothers actually used to bounce me off the trampoline to see how high I’d fly and how many flips I could do before I landed.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

She can climb mountains by conjuring beds, tables or even trampolines.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 1, 2024

Hours earlier, in the western Indian city of Rajkot, an amusement park of trampolines and bowling lanes had turned to an inferno.

From New York Times May 26, 2024

The show will also incorporate rhythmic gymnastics and Biles said there was even talk about having “SlamBall” players — think basketball on trampolines — be part of the show.

From Seattle Times May 9, 2024

Abigail Clark said the wind passed through her street, Stanley Road, "taking out nearly everyone's fence panels, trampolines, some car windows and someone's roof has collapsed".

From BBC Oct. 29, 2023

That noise wouldn’t do, so they kept moving through other yards, around playhouses, and past trampolines until they were back to a road far away from Flux.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training