What does sprung mean?
Sprung is the past tense and past participle of the verb spring, which means to leap, jump, or bound suddenly. It is an irregular form: the simple past is sprang, while sprung is used particularly with auxiliary verbs, as in 'has sprung' or 'was sprung.' In other contexts, sprung can describe something that has arisen or developed from a source, as in 'a theory sprung from an observation.' It can also mean fitted or equipped with springs, especially when describing a mattress, chair, or similar object. The word often conveys a sudden, energetic movement or a rapid transition into activity. Although sprung belongs to the familiar vocabulary of everyday English, its irregular relationship with sprang and spring reflects the long history of one of the language’s most basic forms of motion.
The past tense and past participle of spring: to leap or bound suddenly.
"The cat sprang from the windowsill and vanished into the garden."
Usually used as a past-tense or past-participle form; it is commonly combined with have, had, or be.
Equipped or fitted with springs.
"The showroom displayed a small, well-sprung sofa."
This sense is less common and is often used in the phrase 'well-sprung' or with objects such as mattresses.
Spring has an irregular past tense and past participle: it not only sprang, it also sprung.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sprung
Sprung is the modern English past participle of spring, a verb inherited from Old English springan, meaning to leap or burst forth. The older verb developed the irregular forms sprang and sprung, which have remained part of the language despite the simplicity of the present form. Related forms include the noun spring, meaning the coiled elastic device, and sprinter, a runner or competitor known for speed. Cognates survive in several Germanic languages, including German springen and Dutch springen.
Related word forms
How sprung is actually used
Sprung is irregular: it is the past participle of spring and is used with forms of have or be. As a verb form, it normally appears in the past, perfect, or passive constructions; the adjective meaning 'equipped with springs' is less common and often appears in compounds such as 'well-sprung.'
Easily confused with sprung
Sprang is the simple past tense of spring, as in 'she sprang up,' while sprung is the past participle, used with has, had, or another auxiliary, as in 'she has sprung up.'