rebound

American  

[ri-bound, ree-bound, ree-bound, ri-bound] / rɪˈbaʊnd, ˈriˈbaʊnd, ˈriˌbaʊnd, rɪˈbaʊnd /

verb (used without object)

rebounds, present (3rd person singular) rebounded, past participle, past rebounding present participle

1. to bound or spring back from force of impact.

2. to recover, as from ill health or discouragement.

3. Basketball. to gain hold of rebounds.

   a forward who rebounds well off the offensive board.

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verb (used with object)

rebounds, present (3rd person singular) rebounded, past participle, past rebounding present participle

1. to cause to bound back; cast back.

2. Basketball. to gain hold of (a rebound).

   The guard rebounded the ball in backcourt.

noun

rebounds plural

1. the act of rebounding; recoil.

2. Basketball.

   1. a ball that bounces off the backboard or the rim of the basket.

   2. an instance of gaining hold of such a ball.

3. Ice Hockey. a puck that bounces off the gear or person of a goalkeeper attempting to make a save.

idioms

1. on the rebound,

   1. after bouncing off the ground, a wall, etc..

      He hit the ball on the rebound.

   2. after being rejected by another.

      She didn't really love him; she married him on the rebound.

rebound British  

verb

1. to spring back, as from a sudden impact

2. to misfire, esp so as to hurt the perpetrator

   the plan rebounded

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noun

1. the act or an instance of rebounding

2. 1. in the act of springing back

   2. informal in a state of recovering from rejection, disappointment, etc

      he married her on the rebound from an unhappy love affair

rebound More Idioms  

1. see on the rebound.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• rebounds
  plural

Participles

• rebounding
  present
• rebounded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• rebound
  simple
• rebounds
  simple
• have rebounded
  perfect
• has rebounded
  perfect
• am rebounding
  progressive
• are rebounding
  progressive
• is rebounding
  progressive
• have been rebounding
  perfect progressive
• has been rebounding
  perfect progressive

Past

• rebounded
  simple
• had rebounded
  perfect
• was rebounding
  progressive
• were rebounding
  progressive
• had been rebounding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will rebound
  simple
• will have rebounded
  perfect
• will be rebounding
  progressive
• will have been rebounding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of rebound

1300–50; Middle English (v.) < Middle French rebondir, equivalent to Old French re- re- + bondir to bound ²

Explanation

To rebound is to come back from a slump. You might rebound from an illness, or your country might rebound from an economic recession. Like many words that start with the prefix re, rebound involves something happening again. In this case, to rebound is to bounce back to a previous state or condition. When you start to feel happy again after your heart gets broken, you rebound. If the stock market crashes and then returns to a healthy level, it rebounds.

Example Sentences

The injured Courtois, replaced midway through the second half, could only watch as 24-year-old Senne Lammens spilled an 88th-minute shot and Mikel Merino tucked home the rebound.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

The return of the wolf in California has been met with joy by conservationists, who delight in the improbable population rebound, and with fury by ranchers who bemoan the toll on their cattle.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

The Iran war has dimmed prospects for a strong rebound in Germany's economy this year, with the government now expecting growth of just 0.5 percent.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme park industry has struggled to fully rebound.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026

He had married on the rebound from the rotten time he had in college, and Frances took him on the rebound from his discovery that he had not been everything to his first wife.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Related Words

• overcome
• pick up
• revive