What Does Bounce Back from Something Mean?

Bounce Back Meaning

Definition: To recover or to return.

When something unfortunate has happened, you may feel as if you have fallen down or fallen away from where you started. When you return to how things were before the unfortunate event, you have bounced back from it.

Imagine if you were to chart something (e.g., emotions, finances, etc.) that gets worse and then better again over time. The chart would begin at one point, drop down to a low point, and then bounce back up to where it began.

Origin of Bounce Back from Something

bounce back from meaningThere is no clear origin of the term bounce back from something. To bounce back functions as a phrasal verb, meaning the two words go together to function as one verb.

Both words have been in use since the 12th and 13th centuries in Middle English and Dutch.

Examples of Bounce Back from Something

Emotions are one of the most common things to bounce back from. If a loved one has died, you may feel terrible for a while, but, over time, you will begin to feel better again. Your emotions would bounce back from the sadness of the love one’s death.

bounce back definitionReputations also bounce back. You can look at nearly any celebrity gossip magazine to find an example of this. Many famous celebrities suffer from a decline in fans after some time, and, then, they become popular again. This would be a bounce back from anonymity or a bounce back to popularity.

A third common example of something that bounces back is the economy. During an economic recession, the economy plummets. Once the economy begins to be rebuilt, one would say that it has bounced back from the recession.

More Examples

  • But the source added that when Trump is no longer a political threat, business will likely bounce back and benefit from the huge awareness. –New York Post
  • The Florida Gators’ defense is eager to bounce back from a poor second-half performance against Tennessee. –Orlando Sentinel

Summary

To bounce back from something is to return from something negative.

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