leaping 1 of 2

as in rambling
passing from one topic to another we had trouble following the lecturer's leaping look at archaeological discoveries around the world

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leaping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of leap
as in jumping
to propel oneself upward or forward into the air the outfielder leaped into the air to catch the ball before it went over the fence

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leaping
Adjective
Within three plays in 11-on-11, speedy fifth-round rookie receiver Cyrus Allen reeled in a deep pass from Fields down the left sideline, then scored a leaping touchdown in the red zone on a sprint-out to the left side of the end zone. Pete Sweeney june 10, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026 Richie Palacios hit a comebacker that could have been a 1-2-3 double play but the ball bounced off the glove of a leaping Hill, over Caballero and into center for a two-run single. ABC News, 22 May 2026 Murakami broke out of his homerless stretch in the third, lofting a long, high fly that was just out of the reach of a leaping Crow-Armstrong in center field for his 16th home run of the year. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026 The Rams skipped across the country as a historic 10½-point favorite — biggest postseason spread in modern history — yet trudged home requiring a last-second touchdown pass from the unsinkable Matthew Stafford to a leaping Colby Parkinson. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026 Two plays later, Corona del Mar linebacker Cash Pearsall made a leaping interception near midfield. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025 Bryce Teodosio’s long fly ball landed to the back side of a leaping Outman, going for a leadoff triple in the bottom of the eighth inning. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Then, two batters later, reliever Kyle Hurt threw a four-seam fastball down the middle of the plate, and Machado rocketed the pitch to the center field wall beyond the grasp of a leaping Pages. Liana Handler follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 Gonzalez, robbed of a potential first-inning homer when Adell made a leaping catch of his drive above the wall in right, followed with a towering 368-foot fly that cleared the short left-field wall for his first homer of the season and a 7-1 lead. ABC News, 5 July 2026 Or perhaps more accurately, like a gleeful romp with friends through a haunted-house attraction at a regional fair, with various creepy creatures leaping suddenly out of the darkness. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 My high-octane mutt was leaping around the patio table and barking excitedly while my neighbors huddled together over their steaks. Deborah Mower, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Before Greene's first homer, Kerry Carpenter hit a solo shot in which center fielder Spencer Jones could not complete a leaping catch at the right-center field fence and saw the ball pop out of his glove into the Yankees' bullpen. Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Padres left fielder Jase Bowen retreated to the ivy and made a leaping catch. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026 The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench. Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Ten people were shot, five fatally, and others injured by leaping from the balcony in panic as gunfire erupted. Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leaping
Adjective
  • Honeysuckle The warm, heady, floral scent of honeysuckle, which is strongest at dusk, is instantly recognizable, and the romantically rambling vines and tubular blooms make the climbing varieties cottage-garden classics.
    Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 June 2026
  • Vocals have an offhand nonchalance instead of hogging the spotlight, melodies sneak up on you rather than announce themselves, and the guitars avoid crunchy riffs and overdriven twang in favor of tart rambling and clean supporting chords.
    Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • One of my earliest moviegoing memories is nearly jumping out of my seat at the sight of Doctor Octopus.
    Brayden Garcia July 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
  • Wednesday, a witness called 911 to report somebody jumping off the bridge, Knox said.
    Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • Controlled mind-wandering — Mind-wandering is a spontaneous zoning out of your immediate surroundings.
    Eric Zillmer, Scientific American, 26 June 2026
  • When a wandering wolf threatens his fragile peace and slaughters his flock, Gaspard, blinded by rage, embarks on a perilous quest for vengeance — one that will lead him to the farthest reaches of his sorrow and guilt.
    Kevin Giraud, Variety, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Biking Barefoot There’s hardly anything more quintessentially Southern than hopping on a bike barefoot—and probably in a wet swimsuit as well—in the summertime to pedal down the street to a friend's house, neighborhood pool, or the shoreline.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • These stands are also designed and engineered in the US, so hopping on this deal feels appropriate for this upcoming Independence Day weekend.
    George Yang, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Leaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leaping. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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