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Synonyms

earthbound

1 American  
[urth-bound] / ˈɜrθˌbaʊnd /
Or earth-bound

adjective

  1. firmly set in or attached to the earth.

  2. limited to the earth or its surface.

  3. having only earthly interests.

  4. lacking in imagination or sophistication.

    earthbound prose.
earthbound 2 American  
[urth-bound] / ˈɜrθˌbaʊnd /
Or earth-bound

adjective

  1. headed for the earth.

    an earthbound meteorite.
earthbound British  
/ ˈɜːθˌbaʊnd /

adjective

  1. confined to the earth

  2. lacking in imagination; pedestrian or dull

  3. moving or heading towards the earth

"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 earthbound1

First recorded in 1595–1605; earth + -bound 1

Origin of earthbound2

First recorded in 1930–35; earth + -bound 2

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.

But not before establishing his recognizably earthbound virtuosity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Evolution had usually been thought of in reference to earthbound processes.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2024

With a normal earthbound telescope, one can only see the Serpens constellation in the northern part of the celestial hemisphere.

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2024

As an earthbound motorcyclist speeds around the cylinder, their inertia pushes them into the wall, creating an outward centrifugal force.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 30, 2024

A brownish-green earth dragon roared from within a dark cave, and a white air dragon cut graceful spirals above its earthbound cousin.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

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.