1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To be very noticeable or to immediately attract someone's attention.
"One line in the report leaped out at me — the figures were completely wrong."
inseparable
leap out
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To be immediately and strikingly obvious or noticeable, or to jump out of somewhere suddenly.
In plain English
To catch your eye or attention right away, or to suddenly jump out of a place.
What does "leap out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To jump or spring out of a place suddenly.
"A cat leaped out from behind the bushes and startled us."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To jump out of an enclosed space or from behind something.
Actually means
To catch your eye or attention right away, or to suddenly jump out of a place.
Usage tip
The figurative sense (something catching attention) is very common in editorial, academic, and everyday contexts. The literal sense appears in action or narrative writing.
Words that pair with "leap out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
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How to conjugate "leap out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
leap out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
leaps out
he/she/it
Past simple
leaped out
yesterday
Past participle
leaped out
have + pp
-ing form
leaping out
continuous
Hear "leap out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "leap out"
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Keep exploring
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