speed bump

noun

: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed

Examples of speed bump in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The strategy is not without its speed bumps. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026 Having to greet you amidst the final whirlwind is an inconvenient speed bump. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 8 June 2026 Next up were the Philadelphia 76ers, who were little more than a speed bump. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2026 Black analysts and fans, and Louis himself, expected the fight to be a walkover, a mere speed bump on the way to the heavyweight championship. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for speed bump

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speed bump was in 1972

Rhymes for speed bump

See All Rhymes for speed bump

Browse Nearby Words

speed box
speed bump
speed change lane
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speed bump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed%20bump. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

speed bump

noun
: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed

More from Merriam-Webster on speed bump

Nglish: Translation of speed bump for Spanish Speakers

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