bulk

1 of 3

noun

ˈbəlk 

also ˈbu̇lk

1

a

: magnitude

impressed by the sheer bulk of her accomplishment

b

biology : material that forms a mass in the intestine

especially : fiber sense 1d

need more bulk in their diet

2

a

: body

especially : a large or corpulent human body

He hauled his … bulk out of the armchair …

—Herman Wouk

b

: an organized structure especially when viewed primarily as a mass of material

… the giant bulk of Mt. Katahdin …

—Jackson Rivers

c

: a ponderous shapeless mass

3

: the main or greater part

spent the bulk of their time in the office

the bulk of the population

see also:

in bulk

bulk

2 of 3

verb

bulked; bulking; bulks

transitive verb

1

: to cause to swell or bulge : stuff

bulk out a report with lots of graphs and charts

2

: to gather into a mass or aggregate

intransitive verb

1

: swell, expand

2

: to appear as a factor : loom

a consideration that bulks large in everyone's thinking

bulk

3 of 3

adjective

1

: being in large quantities or not divided into separate units : being in bulk

bulk shipments of food

bulk mailings

2

: of or relating to materials in bulk

bulk prices

Synonyms of bulk

Noun

• majority

Verb

• collect
• assemble
• gather
• round up
• accumulate
• get together
• corral
• group
• garner

Choose the Right Synonym for bulk

bulk, mass, volume mean the aggregate that forms a body or unit.

bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

Examples of bulk in a Sentence

Noun

We spent the bulk of the summer at the beach.

Farming makes up the bulk of the country's economy.

The great bulk of these people are extremely poor.

Despite his bulk, he's a very fast runner.

Verb

she bulked up her hair with one hand as she reached for the shears with the other

Adjective

They sent bulk shipments of food to the country.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This Becca jumpsuit is a one-and-done outfit that’s lightweight enough to pack without bulk and versatile enough to take you from a day of sightseeing in sneakers or to dinner in heels. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026

Because of inflation and changing consumer habits, many big name retailers have been forced to reduce their store footprints, with e-commerce taking up a higher bulk of sales. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026

Verb

Finish with shredded cheese, crispy bacon, diced ham, shredded chicken, or crispy pancetta to bulk it up to a main course. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026

Add shredded chicken to bulk it up further, or finish it with a dollop of sour cream, some fresh cilantro, or a bit of shredded cheese. —Martha Stewart, 15 Jan. 2026

Adjective

Another bulk carrier, the Mac Hope, identifying itself as sailing under Chinese ownership and with a Chinese crew, also transited the strait on Monday, MarineTraffic data show. —Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026

This, combined with the power of bulk purchasing and the thin margins warehouse stores often maintain, usually results in lower prices than those of traditional grocery stores. —Ryley Amond, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English, heap, bulk, from Old Norse bulki cargo

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bulk

• bulk large
• bulk out
• bulk up
• in bulk
• the bulk

Rhymes for bulk

• fulk
• hulk
• skulk
• sulk

Kids Definition

bulk

1 of 3 noun

ˈbəlk 

1

: greatness of size or mass : volume

2

: a large body or mass

3

: the main or greater part

did the bulk of the work

4

: fiber sense 1f

bulk

2 of 3 verb

1

: to cause to swell or bulge

2

: to appear as a consideration

an issue that bulks large in her mind

bulk

3 of 3 adjective

: being in bulk

bulk foods

Medical Definition

bulk

noun

ˈbəlk 

: material (as indigestible fibrous residues of food) that forms a mass in the intestine

especially : fiber sense 2

Legal Definition

bulk

1 of 2 noun

ˈbəlk 

: a large mass

bulk

2 of 2 adjective

1

: being in bulk

bulk shipment of wheat

bulk foods

2

: of or relating to materials in bulk

bulk buyer