clump

1 of 2

noun

1
: a group of things clustered together
a clump of bushes
2
: a compact mass
3
: a heavy tramping sound
clumpy 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
People with Alzheimer’s tend to have clumps of proteins called amyloid plaques that accumulate around the brain cells. Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025 The study included nearly 300 people who were still cognitively normal but at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s because their brain scans showed evidence of amyloid plaques, the clumps of protein that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's. Alice Park, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Alzheon's product is meant to keep plaques from forming in the first place, by preventing amyloid proteins from clumping at all. Jon Hamilton, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025 Navigating the world of priming serums can be a slippery slope due to heavy formulas and glitter-like ingredients that clump upon application. Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clump

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of clump was circa 1586

Cite this Entry

“Clump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clump. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

clump

1 of 2 noun
1
: a group of things clustered together
a clump of bushes
2
: a cluster or lump of something
3
: a heavy tramping sound
clumpy 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
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on clump

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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