pounce

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈpau̇n(t)s 

: the claw of a bird of prey

pounce

2 of 5

verb (1)

pounced; pouncing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to swoop upon and seize something with or as if with talons

b

: to seize upon and make capital of something (such as another's blunder or an opportunity)

2

: to make a sudden assault or approach

pounce

3 of 5

noun (2)

: the act of pouncing

pounce

4 of 5

verb (2)

pounced; pouncing

transitive verb

: to dust, rub, finish, or stencil with pounce

pounce

5 of 5

noun (3)

1

: a fine powder formerly used to prevent ink from spreading

2

: a fine powder for making stenciled patterns

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• assail
• assault
• attack
• beset
• bushwhack
• charge
• descend (on or upon)
• go in (on)
• jump (on)
• raid
• rush
• set on
• sic
• sick
• storm
• strike
• trash
• turn (on)

Examples of pounce in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the muggers pounced on the unsuspecting tourists as soon as they rounded the corner

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Colts nose tackle Grover Stewart pounced on the ball at the Bears 16-yard line. —Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2024

Magana pounced on the loose ball at the 22 and, four plays later, Isaac Magana kicked a 32-yard field goal to put the home team ahead 17-6. —Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024

Noun

The film shot nearly three years ago and has faced several pounces around the release calendar since staking out an original January 2023 date. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Dec. 2024

Next week is host to the twelfth Giving Tuesday; a day when the non-profit community eagerly pounces on the opportunity to outdo last year’s high-water mark of $3.1 billion in individual and corporate charitable giving. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, punching tool, dagger, talon — more at punch

Verb (2)

Middle French poncer, from ponce

Noun (3)

French ponce pumice, from Middle French, from Late Latin pomic-, pomex, alteration of Latin pumic-, pumex — more at foam

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1535, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pounce

verb

ˈpau̇n(t)s

pounced; pouncing

1

: to swoop down on and seize something

a cat waiting to pounce

2

: to make a sudden assault or approach

a clerk pounced on me immediately

pounce noun