Standard Lemma guide

springboard

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S P R IH1 NG B AO2 R D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A board consisting of a flexible, springy, cantilevered platform that propels one into the air, used for diving or gymnastics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something that acts as a catalyst to begin or accelerate an action or growth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The opportunity acted as a springboard for their success.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To launch or propel as if from a springboard, especially toward political office.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a beginning from which an enterprise is launched

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he uses other people's ideas as a springboard for his own
  • reality provides the jumping-off point for his illusions
  • the point of departure of international comparison cannot be an institution but must be the function it carries out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jumping-off point, point of departure

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beginning, start, commencement

5

noun

Meaning 5

a flexible board for jumping upward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: board

Narrower terms: diving board

History

Etymology

From spring + board.

Across languages

Translations

72 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: трамплин (tramplin) — flexible diving board
  • Catalan: trampolí — flexible diving board
  • Chinese Mandarin: 跳板 (tiàobǎn) — flexible diving board
  • Czech: skokanské prkno — flexible diving board
  • Danish: vippe — flexible diving board
  • Dutch: springplank — flexible diving board
  • Finnish: ponnahduslauta — flexible diving board
  • French: tremplin — flexible diving board
  • Galician: trampolín — flexible diving board
  • German: Sprungbrett — flexible diving board
  • Greek: εφαλτήριο (efaltírio) — flexible diving board
  • Ancient Greek: πέτευρον (péteuron) — flexible diving board
  • Hebrew: מַקְפֵּצָה (maqpetzá) — flexible diving board
  • Hungarian: ugródeszka — flexible diving board
  • Hungarian: trambulin — flexible diving board
  • Icelandic: stökkpallur — flexible diving board
  • Italian: trampolino — flexible diving board
  • Japanese: 飛び板 (tobiita) — flexible diving board
  • Japanese: スプリングボード (supuringubōdo) — flexible diving board
  • Korean: 다이빙대 (daibingdae) — flexible diving board
  • Korean: 스프링보드 (seupeuringbodeu) — flexible diving board
  • Latin: petaurum — flexible diving board
  • Māori: kauhua — flexible diving board
  • Plautdietsch: Schwunkbrat — flexible diving board
  • Polish: trampolina — flexible diving board
  • Portuguese: trampolim — flexible diving board
  • Romanian: trambulină — flexible diving board
  • Russian: трампли́н (tramplín) — flexible diving board
  • Spanish: trampolín — flexible diving board
  • Spanish: palanca — flexible diving board
  • Swedish: svikt — flexible diving board
  • Swedish: trampolin — flexible diving board
  • Welsh: bwrdd plymio — flexible diving board
  • Bulgarian: трамплин (tramplin) — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Czech: odrazový můstek — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Danish: springbræt — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Finnish: ponnahduslauta — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • French: tremplin — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Galician: trampolín — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • German: Sprungbrett — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Ancient Greek: πέτευρον (péteuron) — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Hungarian: dobbantó — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Icelandic: stökkpallur — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Irish: lingchlár — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Norwegian Bokmål: springbrett — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: springbrett — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Polish: trampolina — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Portuguese: trampolim — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Romanian: trambulină — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Russian: трампли́н (tramplín) — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Spanish: trampolín — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Spanish: palanca — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Swedish: språngbräda — platform on springs used in gymnastics
  • Arabic: منطلق — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Czech: odrazový můstek — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Danish: springbræt — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Finnish: ponnahduslauta — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • French: tremplin — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • German: Sprungbrett — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Hungarian: ugródeszka — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Icelandic: stökkpallur — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Italian: trampolino — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Italian: trampolino di lancio — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Norwegian Bokmål: springbrett — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: springbrett — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Polish: trampolina — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Portuguese: trampolim — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Russian: трампли́н (tramplín) — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Russian: плацда́рм (placdárm) — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Spanish: trampolín — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Swedish: språngbräda — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
  • Ukrainian: трамплі́н (tramplín) — figuratively: anything that launches or provides impulse
Real reading context

springboard in complete knowledge articles