jump at
quickly accept an offer or chance because you really want it
What does "jump at sth" mean?
Examples
- When they offered her a place on the programme, she jumped at the opportunity without a second thought.
- He jumped at the chance to travel abroad — it was exactly what he'd been waiting for.
- Most people would jump at an offer like that, so why didn't you?
How to use it
The most common pattern — the object is always a noun describing something desirable, and it always follows 'at' directly.
She jumped at the opportunity to lead her first major project.
Very common in hypothetical or predictive statements, suggesting that any reasonable person would eagerly accept.
Most people would jump at the chance to work for a company like that.
Pronouns always follow 'at' — they can never be placed between 'jump' and 'at'.
When the invitation arrived, he jumped at it without even checking his schedule.
A common extended pattern where the infinitive specifies exactly what the opportunity involves.
She jumped at the chance to present her research at the international conference.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
'Jump at' is inseparable — the object must always come after 'at', never between 'jump' and 'at'. Placing the object in the middle is always ungrammatical.
'Jump at' means to eagerly accept something positive, while 'jump on' typically means to criticise someone sharply or seize on something in an aggressive or opportunistic way. The two are not interchangeable.
Because 'jump at' describes an immediate, decisive response rather than an ongoing action, the present continuous sounds awkward. Use the simple present, simple past, or 'would jump at' instead.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. It is very common in the structure 'would jump at' for hypothetical situations, e.g. 'I would jump at the chance to study abroad.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'jump at' be used in the passive, like 'the offer was jumped at'?
No — this phrasal verb doesn't work in the passive. The subject is always the eager person doing the accepting, and there's no natural way to restructure the sentence with the offer or opportunity as the subject. Stick to the active form.
Does 'jump at' always have to be followed by a positive noun?
Almost always, yes. The phrasal verb naturally collocates with desirable things — a chance, an offer, an opportunity, an idea, a promotion. Using it with something negative or neutral would sound odd or deliberately ironic. If you want it to sound ironic, the context needs to make that very clear.
Is 'jump at' more British or is it used globally?
It's used in both British and American English and is widely understood across all major varieties. It may appear slightly more often in British English, but it won't sound strange or foreign in any English-speaking context.
Is 'would jump at' a set phrase, or can I use other modal verbs?
'Would jump at' is particularly common because it's used for hypothetical or predictive statements — 'Anyone would jump at that deal.' But you can also use other modals naturally, such as 'I'll jump at any chance to work abroad' or 'You should jump at this opportunity.' The 'would' structure is just especially frequent.
Is 'leap at' the same as 'jump at'?
Yes, 'leap at' is essentially a synonym and is interchangeable with 'jump at' in almost all contexts. The only practical difference is that 'jump at' is more common in everyday speech, so it will generally sound more natural.
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