leapfrog

[ leep-frog, -frawg ]

noun

1. a game in which players take turns in leaping over another player bent over from the waist.
2. an advance from one place, position, or situation to another without progressing through all or any of the places or stages in between:

   a leapfrog from bank teller to vice president in one short year.

verb (used with object)

, leap·frogged, leap·frog·ging.

1. to jump over (a person or thing) in or as if in leapfrog:

   He leapfrogged the fence to reach the crying child.

2. to move or cause to move as if in leapfrog:

   Manufacturers are leapfrogging prices because the cost of raw materials has doubled.

verb (used without object)

, leap·frogged, leap·frog·ging.

1. to move or advance in or as if in leapfrog:

   Our tour leapfrogged through six cities in four days.

leapfrog

/ ˈliːpˌfrɒɡ /

noun

1. a children's game in which each player in turn leaps over the others' bent backs, leaning on them with the hands and spreading the legs wide

verb

1. 1. intr to play leapfrog
   2. tr to leap in this way over (something)
2. to advance or cause to advance by jumps or stages

Other Words From

• leapfrogger noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of leapfrog¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; leap + frog ¹

Example Sentences

“We’re trying to leapfrog and bring new ideas to challenge how research has been done traditionally,” Stone said.

From Los Angeles Times

Their staunch opposition to re-visiting the independence question proved a vote winner for them, helping them to leapfrog Labour and become the biggest opposition party at Holyrood.

From BBC

On Tuesday, Nvidia leapfrogged two of tech’s most storied names to become the world’s most valuable public company, according to data from S&P Global.

From New York Times

That is enabling the country to leapfrog its neighbors in adopting EVs.

From Seattle Times

CIA is trying out all major gen AI models – not committing to anyone — in part because AIs keep leapfrogging each other in ability, he said.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bounce
• dive
• drop
• fall
• hurdle
• plunge
• rise
• upsurge
• vault