verb

leap

LEEP

verb

To jump a long distance, or jump over something suddenly and forcefully.

"The dog leaped over the fence in one bound."

"She leapt out of bed when the alarm rang."

noun

The act of jumping, or the distance covered by a jump.

"The gymnast's leap earned top marks from the judges."

A sudden and significant advance or improvement.

"The new vaccine was a huge leap forward for medicine."

How to Use Leap

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA big jump, literal or figurative — a sudden movement or a sudden advance.

Common mistake

A "leap of faith" means trusting something without proof, not literally jumping.

Common pairings

leap forward quantum leap leap of faith leap year

leapt past tense, leaped past tense, lept past tense, lope past tense, lopen past tense, leaps plural, leaps plural, Leaps plural, leaps singular

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The dog _____ over the fence in one bound.

From Old English hlēapan, "to run or jump," an ancient Germanic word also related to "elope," "gallop," and "interlope."

heap reap cheap