earthbound

adjective

earth·​bound ˈərth-ˌbau̇nd 

1

a

: fast in or to the soil

earthbound roots

b

: located on or restricted to land or to the surface of the earth

2

a

: bound by earthly interests

b

: pedestrian, unimaginative

Synonyms

• carnal
• earthborn
• earthly
• fleshly
• material
• mundane
• sublunary
• temporal
• terrene
• terrestrial
• worldly

Examples of earthbound in a Sentence

a dull and earthbound mind

we have too many earthbound worries to speculate on the number of angels who can dance on the head of a pin

Recent Examples on the Web

But despite such heady material, the book itself is pleasurably earthbound and uncomplicated, shifting from one character in his Norwegian ensemble to the next with charm and intelligence, blending the wonder of science fiction with the moody intensity of a murder mystery. —Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024

As Ezri and their sisters parse supernatural horrors from earthbound ones, Solomon succeeds in evoking an atmosphere in which there is more than one way to feel haunted. Canoes, by Maylis de Kerangal, translated from the French by Jessica Moore (Archipelago). —The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

But there was something deeper keeping Saldaña from exploring more earthbound projects. —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024

The links between the earthbound and extraterrestrial subjects become comprehensible upon closer inspection. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 12 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a