bulky

adjective

ˈbəl-kē 

 also  ˈbu̇l-

bulkier; bulkiest

1

a

: having bulk

b(1)

: large of its kind

(2)

: corpulent

2

: having great volume in proportion to weight

a bulky knit sweater

bulkily

ˈbəl-kə-lē 

adverb

bulkiness

ˈbəl-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• big
• biggish
• boxcar
• considerable
• goodly
• grand
• great
• handsome
• hefty
• hulking
• husky
• large
• largish
• outsize
• outsized
• oversize
• oversized
• sizable
• sizeable
• substantial
• tidy
• voluminous

Examples of bulky in a Sentence

a big, bulky football player

bulky packages might cost more to mail

Recent Examples on the Web

Rethinking Home Climate Control Traditional heating and cooling systems are often bulky, noisy, and intrusive, requiring complex work and maintenance. —Jon Stojan, USA Today, 13 May 2025

Image Image The first Street View model, which launched in 2007, was cobbled together into a bulky black top hat-like fixture and strapped onto a van and driven around Mountain View, Calif. —Hank Sanders, New York Times, 13 May 2025

Many bras are bulky, uncomfortable, and feel like yet another weight women have to carry. —Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 10 May 2025

Glass, plastic or stainless steel Glass containers will last the longest, but glass is also the heaviest and bulkiest option. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for bulky

• sulky

Kids Definition

bulky

adjective

ˈbəl-kē 

bulkier; bulkiest

1

: large in size or mass

2

: being large and hard to handle

bulkiness noun