dumpier; dumpiest
1
: being short and thick in build : squat
2
dumpily adverb
dumpiness noun

Examples of dumpy in a Sentence

a dumpy guy in his forties dumpy little toddlers growing into lanky children
Recent Examples on the Web The amazing thing is that, for all the history that came through its doors, KCR was a dumpy little studio with a broadcast board on the way out. Dante Ross, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023 Yes, the mall is underperforming, and in the middle of the concourse, there are too many dumpy little kiosks selling souvenirs. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Feb. 2023 She’s not allowed to be anything more than the dumpy friend on TV. Sarah Madaus, SELF, 3 Feb. 2023 Goloborodko’s once disappointed father (Viktor Saraykin) is suddenly beaming with pride and determined to renovate the family’s dumpy apartment in palatial style (and to evict neighboring tenants, until his wife objects). David Klion, The New Republic, 7 Apr. 2022 In the northern Swedish city of Skellefteå, White Arkitekter has completed Sara Kulturhus Center, a museum-theater-library complex topped by an ostentatiously dumpy hotel tower made out of structural wood. Curbed, 3 Feb. 2022 But unlike the dumpy, middle-aged baddies of yore, our modern-day villain is (usually) younger, slimmer, better-looking, and sometimes even downright pleasant. Vulture, 11 Jan. 2022 Joining her are twisted sisters Kathy Najimy (the dumpy one with a wicked bark) and Sarah Jessica Parker (the bimbo one with a wicked libido). Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2022 For reasons that are never spelled out, Becky is back living in a dumpy apartment with her mother, who is descending into dementia. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dumpy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

English dialect dump lump

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumpy was in 1750

Dictionary Entries Near dumpy

Cite this Entry

“Dumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dumpy

adjective
dumpier; dumpiest
1
: short and thick in build : squat
2
dumpiness noun

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