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

These teams will be waiting for them in October, and even baseball’s richest roster might not be enough to carry this staggered bunch through their toughest stretch. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Women in chic black dresses wore the cross-body in a cool, casual way that gave them a bit of edge, while others chose the smallest of the bunch to complement their dressy evening looks. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Verb

And via roomy leg openings, the jeans easily fit over most boots without bunching up around their shafts. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026

Harold’s men waded into water with their tunics bunched around their bare thighs. — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 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