springy

IPA/ˈsprɪŋi/
IPA/ˈsprɪŋi/

springy — adjective

  • springypositive
  • springiercomparative
  • springiestsuperlative

1. describes a material or object that goes back to its original form right after y

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a material or object that goes back to its original form right after you press, stretch, or bend it

Example

The gymnast landed on the springy mat and bounced straight back up.

pattern: springy + mat for impact-absorbing surfaces

Amara pressed the sofa cushion down and smiled at how springy it felt.

Common collocations
  • springy surface
  • springy mattress
  • springy turf
  • springy feel
Synonyms
  • elastic

    more formal and technical; used about rubber, fabrics, and abstract concepts like demand

  • resilient

    broader — can describe people who recover from difficulty as well as materials

  • bouncy

    more informal; suggests a playful, trampoline-like quality

Antonyms
  • stiff

    resists bending and does not bounce back

  • rigid

    completely unyielding; no give at all

Usage Note

Describes materials and surfaces that regain their form after pressure — not used for abstract situations like emotions or finances.

Common Mistakes

This yoga mat is very flexible.' (when you mean it bounces back).
This yoga mat is very springy.
'flexible' means it bends easily without breaking; 'springy' means it returns to shape after you press or stretch it.

2. moving with a light, energetic bounce — used about a person's step or the way th

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

moving with a light, energetic bounce — used about a person's step or the way they carry themselves

Example

Soren walked into the meeting with a springy step, ready to present.

collocation: springy step for light, energetic walking

The border collie crossed the field with a light, springy stride.

collocation: springy stride describes a lively gait

Common collocations
  • springy step
  • springy gait
  • springy walk
  • springy stride
Synonyms
  • bouncy

    similar but slightly more informal and playful in tone

  • buoyant

    more often describes mood or market sentiment than physical movement

  • peppy

    informal, more common in American English; suggests high-spirited energy

Antonyms
  • sluggish

    moving slowly with little energy

  • leaden

    heavy and lacking lightness in movement

Usage Note

Only describes physical movement and gait — not general personality, mood, or intellectual energy.

Common Mistakes

She has a springy personality.' (describing general character).
She walks with a springy step.
'springy' in this sense describes a person's way of moving, not their overall personality or temperament.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Compare elastic, resilient, bouncy, flexible, and springy. Elastic is the most general and technical — it describes any material that stretches and returns, from rubber bands to economic concepts like price elasticity. Resilient is broader than physical bounce: it can describe a person who recovers quickly from setbacks or a material that withstands heavy wear. Bouncy is the most informal of the group — think of a trampoline, a rubber ball, or a happy child jumping on a bed. Springy sits between bouncy and resilient: it describes a light, responsive give in surfaces such as floors, turf, and mattresses, and, in its secondary sense, a lively quality in someone's step. Flexible is the odd one out: it means something bends easily without breaking, but unlike the other words here, it does not imply a return to the original shape. A flexible ruler bends; a springy ruler snaps back.

elastic ↗resilient ↗bouncy ↗flexible ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • surprisingly springy
  • still springy
  • naturally springy

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the verb spring (to leap or jump) + the adjective suffix -y. The verb spring traces back to Old English springan, meaning 'to leap, burst forth, or spread.' The adjective springy appeared in the mid-1600s with the physical meaning 'returning to shape after pressure.' The extended sense describing lively, energetic movement developed later, around the 1800s, drawing on the same image of a coiled spring releasing energy.