BULGE Synonyms: 189 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'bulge' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of bulge are projection , protrusion , and protuberance . While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure. // bulges in the tile floor

Q: When is 'projection' a more appropriate choice than 'bulge'?

The synonyms projection and bulge are sometimes interchangeable, but projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle. // those projections along the wall are safety hazards

Q: Where would 'protrusion' be a reasonable alternative to 'bulge'?

While in some cases nearly identical to bulge , protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity. // the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

Q: When would 'protuberance' be a good substitute for 'bulge'?

The meanings of protuberance and bulge largely overlap; however, protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form. // a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

bulge 1 of 2

noun

Definition of bulge

as in protrusion

a part that sticks out from the general mass of something several bulges in the old vinyl flooring in the dingy bathroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in advantage

the more favorable condition or position in a competition she got the bulge on him in the race for the statehouse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bulge

2 of 2

verb

ˈbəlj

as in to protrude

to extend outward beyond a usual point the sides of the returning camper's suitcase bulged with a month's worth of dirty laundry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to burst

to be copiously supplied this guidebook to San Francisco positively bulges with useful information

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bulge different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of bulge are projection, protrusion, and protuberance. While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

When is projection a more appropriate choice than bulge?

The synonyms projection and bulge are sometimes interchangeable, but projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

Where would protrusion be a reasonable alternative to bulge?

While in some cases nearly identical to bulge, protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

When would protuberance be a good substitute for bulge?

The meanings of protuberance and bulge largely overlap; however, protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bulge

Noun

His was a bulge that burst in a man under 50, without the decades of arterial wear that killed the senator. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026 Its equatorial bulge produces classical Newtonian forces on satellite orbits that are orders of magnitude larger than the frame dragging signal. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026

Verb

Infants may act sluggish or not active, vomit, be unusually fussy, face poor feeding, show a bulging soft spot on the head, or show poor reflexes. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 Padmini came in about ten minutes later, carrying a net bag bulging with okra and shiny gourds. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bulge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bulge

Noun

Testing it myself, the case nearly eliminates the protrusion.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
It was chosen because this animal’s femur lacks a crest or raised bony protrusion – known as a trochanter – where part of the tail musculature would attach.

— The Conversation, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of protrusion

Noun

Galatasaray squandered a 5-2 first-leg lead against Juventus in last season’s knockout play-off round, despite having a man advantage for most of the game.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Podded propulsion offers particular advantages in this environment.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of advantage

Verb

Anything that protrudes above the shallow, insulating snow cover is more prone to being damaged by the cold and wind or eaten by wildlife, said plant ecologist Anne Bjorkman of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Other animals on-site include a stable full of horses and Cowboy the tortoise, who is about the size of a lawnmower and whose head protrudes from what looks like a Venus flytrap made of bone.

— Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of protrude

Verb

The original Defender burst onto the scene in 1983 (though it wouldn’t be called the Defender until 1990), as a modern update to the original Land Rover Series that had debuted in the 1940s.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2026
Pioneers who created the tech weigh in OpenAI burst onto the mainstream in 2022 following the launch of its artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, and it's ballooned into one of the most valuable private companies in the world.

— Ashley Capoot,David Faber,Kate Rooney, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of burst

Noun

The initiative reinforces Embratur’s role in promoting Brazil across its multiple dimensions — touristic, cultural, economic, and symbolic — by recognizing audiovisual production as a key tool for the country’s international projection.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
The projections of both teams being near the top of the list seem dead on, as both teams showed a high ceiling.

— Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of projection

Noun

The Eagles were not as dominant in 2025, partly due to the regression of the depth in their secondary and the injuries sustained at edge rusher.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
The facilities would include what’s known as an edge computing data center, which typically is much smaller than traditional data centers and which Global Stack says would require lower utility use and no municipal water connection.

— Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of edge

Verb

Flies buzz over the rotting carcass, which is riven by claw marks so unnaturally deep that no one can determine whomauledit.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
At the AfD’s final preelection rally Thursday in the state capital, Magdeburg, a crowd of 6,000 is buzzing.

— Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of buzz

Browse Nearby Words

bulbous

bulge

bulged

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bulge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bulge. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bulge

noun

verb

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