bummed; bumming
1
: loaf
bummed around the house all day
2
: to spend time unemployed and often wandering
—often used with around
spent a couple of months bumming around Mexico
: to obtain by asking or begging : cadge
bum a cigarette
bummed; bumming; bums
US, informal
: disappoint, depress
—usually used with out
The news really bummed me out.
Examples of bum in a Sentence
Verb (1)
spent most of the summer just bumming around the house
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
That means, as some critics of the ban have pointed out, that 18-year-olds will almost certainly bum cigarettes from older friends—the same way younger teens have acquired them since time immemorial.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
On March 17, a video obtained by TMZ showed LaBeouf in a hotel lobby in Rome, Italy, wearing only his underwear and trying to bum a light for a cigarette.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Spring cleaning bumming you out?
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bum
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Verb
Some were drawn first to the language and its interna ideo, only to later realize the travel benefits involved; others had learned the language specifically to bum around.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
That means, as some critics of the ban have pointed out, that 18-year-olds will almost certainly bum cigarettes from older friends—the same way younger teens have acquired them since time immemorial.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
On March 17, a video obtained by TMZ showed LaBeouf in a hotel lobby in Rome, Italy, wearing only his underwear and trying to bum a light for a cigarette.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Spring cleaning bumming you out?
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bum
Cite this Entry
“Bum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bum. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bum
1 of 5 noun
bum
2 of 5 adjective1
a
: inferior sense 3, worthless
bum advice
b
: not true or deserved
a bum rap
c
: not enjoyable
a bum trip
2
: unable to work properly : disabled
a bum knee
bum
3 of 5 verb
bummed; bumming
1
: to wander around avoiding work
2
: to obtain by asking or begging
bum a ride
bum
4 of 5 noun1
: a person who avoids work and tries to live off others
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bom
Adjective
perhaps from 4bum
Verb
probably from bummer "one who avoids work"
Noun
probably short for bummer "one who avoids work," probably from German Bummler "loafer"
Verb
probably from bummer
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
