Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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.

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

"In bouldering, the potential climbing routes are called problems, and there's no right answer to solving them," she said.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2024

Gillingham School is trying to reverse the trend by offering a range of activities including rock climbing and bouldering, mountain biking and walking, as a way of keeping pupils active.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2023

With 5,000 square feet of bouldering walls, Half Moon also leads fundamental courses in bouldering technique.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 17, 2023

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.