clump

1 of 2

noun

ˈkləmp 

1

: a group of things clustered together

a clump of bushes

2

: a compact mass

3

: a heavy tramping sound

clumpy

ˈkləm-pē 

adjective

clump

2 of 2

verb

clumped; clumping; clumps

intransitive verb

1

: to walk or move clumsily and noisily

2

: to form clumps

transitive verb

: to arrange in or cause to form clumps

Synonyms

Noun

• cluster
• batch
• bunch
• collection
• array
• grouping
• group
• assemblage

Verb

• shuffle
• stomp
• stumble
• lump
• slough

Examples of clump in a Sentence

Noun

There is a clump of bushes at the edge of the field.

I could hear the clump of his footsteps as he came down the stairs.

Verb

The virus clumps the cells together.

a child clumping around the house in her father's oversized boots

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hubble's image captures the glowing, ionized gas as stellar radiation produces what look like bubbles in the clouds of gas and dust, whereas Webb highlights the clumps and delicate filamentary structures of dust. —ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025

Pour out a bit of suede cleaning liquid (or an acid like white vinegar) onto a dry cloth, rubbing it into the shoe’s upper to lightly dampen the affected suede and break apart particle clumps. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025

Verb

Three skinny fries clumped together and dunked into your favorite condiment will always hit. —Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025

Feel free to layer this buildable formula for a more dramatic finish without clumping or webbing in the process. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from Low German klump

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1665, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for clump

• bump
• chump
• crump
• dump
• gump
• hump
• jump
• lump
• plump
• pump
• rump
• slump

Kids Definition

clump

1 of 2 noun

ˈkləmp 

1

: a group of things clustered together

a clump of bushes

2

: a cluster or lump of something

3

: a heavy tramping sound

clumpy

ˈkləm-pē 

adjective

clump

2 of 2 verb

1

: to walk or move clumsily and noisily

2

: to form or cause to form clumps

Medical Definition

clump

1 of 2 noun

ˈkləmp 

: a clustered mass of particles (as bacteria or blood cells) compare agglutination

clump

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to form clumps

transitive verb

: to arrange in or cause to form clumps

the serum clumps the bacteria