speed bump

noun

: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed

Examples of speed bump in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Martin notes that the speed bump Skydance hit in the approval process — the antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states — cost them probably another $500 million in higher interest fees on short-term debt as rates have inched up. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Ordinarily the Sixers’ media day would have fallen largely on deaf ears, a speed bump on a calendar filled with far more important dates. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images The stock market battled back from lows in yesterday's session, closing only modestly lower as investors weighed concerns that an artificial intelligence slowdown could be a speed bump for Wall Street. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Charles Huff’s solid start at Memphis hit a speed bump in the second half Saturday at Boise State. — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for speed bump

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

Kids Definition

speed bump

noun

: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed