bump 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəmp How to pronounce bump (audio)
Definition of bumpnext
1
as in swelling
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue that's a nasty bump on your arm where you hit the table

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in demotion
the act or an instance of bringing to a lower grade or rank the bump was punishment for insubordination

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3
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things I felt the bump of the other car, but there was no damage to either vehicle

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bump

2 of 2

verb

as in to bang
to come into usually forceful contact with something that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bump
Noun
And holiday bumps have already proven particularly potent in reintroducing catalog hits to the Hot 100 in 2026. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026 In practice, a seventh day would probably not produce a clean one-sixth bump. — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
The surfer who made the report was not bumped, bitten or otherwise hurt by the shark, Peters said. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Jay just gets bumped from one squishy chamber of viscous lumps to another, fighting like hell to avoid following his squid adversary through a puckering hole and deeper into the digestive system, where the air turns into methane. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bump
  1. swelling
  2. demotion
  3. collision
  4. bang
  5. lump
  6. firing
  7. thump
  8. collide
Noun
  • New symptoms of calf swelling, tenderness or redness should raise concerns for possible deep vein thrombosis.
    — Ali Ataya, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease that primarily causes joint swelling, pain and stiffness, may also worsen or develop for the first time during menopause.
    — Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of swelling
Noun
  • Every offensive player must wear coordinator Davis Webb’s demotion.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Webb is keeping his title as offensive coordinator and continues his work during the week, but this is a demotion in job duties.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of demotion
Noun
  • The collision comes months after Independence police tightened restrictions on high-speed pursuits after years of scrutiny over the department's driving practices.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • When a conjunction is probable, SSA/STC service providers alert the operators involved, who then decide whether to undertake a collision-avoidance maneuver.
    — David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision
Verb
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries’ star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • Scallop crudo, a wedge salad piled with jumbo lump crab and sharpened with wasabi dressing, and a lobster roll with saffron coleslaw sit comfortably alongside American classics like a double cheeseburger and fries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While recovering from one of the surgeries, Casino felt a lump.
    — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of lump
Noun
  • Now, his firing triggers a buyout package of around $12 million, according to Yahoo's Ross Dellenger.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The container’s roof opens before launch, allowing the internal launcher to rise into its firing position.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of firing
Noun
  • But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • Drone-on-drone interception – Bumblebee V2 Instead of firing a missile or jamming a signal, the Bumblebee V2 is designed to collide directly with hostile drones.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The driver who collided with the riders fled, but police, with the assistance of witnesses, were able to track down a suspect at his home near the scene of the collision, Montclair police said.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of collide

Phrases Containing bump

Browse Nearby Words

bum (out)
bump
bumped
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Cite this Entry

“Bump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bump. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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