bootstrap
noun
a loop of leather or cloth sewn at the top rear, or sometimes on each side, of a boot to facilitate pulling it on.
bootstraps
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pluralof bootstrap.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof bootstrap (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
bootstrapnouna loop of leather or cloth sewn at the top rear, or sometimes on each side, of a boot to facilitate pulling it on.
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.
“You should apply if you want to build yourself up while also building a startup society that bootstraps other startup societies,” its website said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Pulling up your bootstraps and spraying some tough on it is important.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025
We didn’t literally pull ourselves up by the bootstraps or walk to school through the snow without shoes.
From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2025
But in the U.S., the ethos of grinding and pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is ubiquitous, both in the country’s beginnings and our current environment of always-on technology and work hours.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 15, 2024
American autobiographical literature is filled with numerous accounts of remarkable men who pulled themselves to the summit by their bootstraps.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
