What does "boulder" mean?
A large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land.
Boulder
/ˈbəʊl.də(ɹ)/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land.
- Grammar: boulder is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: blocker, bowlder, bowlders, obstacle.
- Useful contrasts: cobble, lightweight object, nimble person.
- Usage evidence: Mr Sato was standing on top of a boulder.
How to use "boulder"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "boulder" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "boulder" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "boulder" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "boulder" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "boulder" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "blocker" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "boulder", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land.
- 2 a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin wordnet
- 3 A particle greater than 256 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale
- 4 A large marble, in children's games.
"There were four sizes of marbles and we called them boulders, biggies, regulars, and teenies."
- 5 A session of bouldering; involvement in bouldering.
Verb
- 1 To engage in bouldering. ambitransitive
"He bouldered a route in the same area with ease. Mitchell, 11, was hanging with the older kids in an area where bouldering nearly upside down seemed to be...."
Proper Noun
- 1 A town in Western Australia, merged with Kalgoorlie in 1989 as the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
- 2 A home rule municipality, the county seat of Boulder County, Colorado, United States.
- 3 An unincorporated community in Clinton County, Illinois, United States.
- 4 A town, the county seat of Jefferson County, Montana, United States.
- 5 A small town in Garfield County, Utah, United States.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 An unincorporated community in Barbour County, West Virginia, United States.
- 7 A census-designated place in Sublette County, Wyoming, United States.
Example
"Mr Sato was standing on top of a boulder."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "boulder"?
Common synonyms include: blocker, bowlder, bowlders, obstacle, rock, stone.
How do you use "boulder" in a sentence?
Mr Sato was standing on top of a boulder.
How do you pronounce "boulder"?
Pronounced /ˈbəʊl.də(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) + sten (“stone”); whence dialectal Swedish bullersten (“large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it”). The first element may alternatively be allied to Old Swedish bulle, bolle (“round drinking vessel, tumbler”), from Old Norse bolli, related to Old English bolla (“round object, bowl”), see English bowl.