bunch

1 of 2

noun

ˈbənch 

1

: protuberance, swelling

2

a

: a number of things of the same kind

a bunch of grapes

b

: group sense 1

a bunch of friends

c

: a considerable amount : lot

a bunch of money

bunchily

ˈbən-chə-lē 

adverb

bunchy

ˈbən-chē 

adjective

bunch

2 of 2

verb

bunched; bunching; bunches

intransitive verb

1

: swell, protrude

2

: to form a group or cluster

—often used with up

transitive verb

: to form into a bunch

Synonyms of bunch

Noun

• crowd
• pack
• clique
• network
• circle
• community
• gang
• lot
• clan

Verb

• poke
• protrude
• bulge
• stand out
• project

Examples of bunch in a Sentence

Noun

He always had a bunch of keys on his belt.

Dried herbs hung in bunches from the kitchen rafters.

Verb

The child's tights bunched at the ankles.

the dress bunches a bit at the waist

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What’s standing between the Trail Blazers and a bunch of public money for a stadium deal is their willingness to accommodate this council. — Jason Quick, New York Times, 20 July 2026

The 11-minute performance kicked off with the biggest icon of the bunch — Madonna — which felt like a highly appropriate choice given her nearly unmatched status in pop music history. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 19 July 2026

Verb

Skylrk Slouchy Socks bunched above a pair of unreleased Matter Daddy sneakers in the Latte colorway, while Speed Demon sunglasses in Jet supplied the narrow black frames. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 19 July 2026

Spain, England and Argentina are all a solid amount behind France in the odds, but are tightly bunched among themselves. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bunche

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing bunch

• a bunch of hooey
• thanks a bunch/lot/million
• the pick of the bunch

Rhymes for bunch

• brunch
• chinch
• crunch
• hunch
• lunch
• punch
• keypunch

Kids Definition

bunch

1 of 2 noun

ˈbənch 

1

: a number of things of the same kind

a bunch of grapes

2

: group entry 1 sense 1, collection

a bunch of friends

3

: a large amount : lot

a bunch of money

bunchy

ˈbən-chē 

adjective

bunch

2 of 2 verb

: to gather in a bunch