as in poor
of low quality
that was bum advice that you got from that website
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cheeks
the part of the body upon which someone sits
I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in hobo
an idle worthless person
if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beggar
a homeless wanderer who may beg or steal for a living
I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
spent most of the summer just bumming around the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bum
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2025
With both travel and programming budgets under pressure, all markets have to make a strong case to get buyer and seller bums on seats (or, more accurately, into screening booths and meeting rooms).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
These are all good reasons to feel bummed out about humanity, but leave it to Lanthimos to express his dismay in the most arch and self-congratulatory way possible.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bum
Noun
When law enforcement showed up, Davis asked to have his hands cuffed in front of him, so as not to aggravate his bum shoulder.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2025
With both travel and programming budgets under pressure, all markets have to make a strong case to get buyer and seller bums on seats (or, more accurately, into screening booths and meeting rooms).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
To be this close over and over is really bumming me out.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
These are all good reasons to feel bummed out about humanity, but leave it to Lanthimos to express his dismay in the most arch and self-congratulatory way possible.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bum
Adjective
-
My adolescent cells floated away from poor me and traded places with his.—
Betty Gilpin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Women disproportionately suffer chronic disease, on average spend 25% more time in poor health than men, and, on average, experience the final 12 to 14 years of their lives in frail health.—
Maria Shriver,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Multiverse’s argument that compressed models significantly cut energy use might also not hold up over time, because cheaper, more accessible AI models will likely attract billions more users.—
Vivienne Walt,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The judge While Royal Caribbean’s attorney dispute the rebuttal, the matter now falls to Judge Shaw-Wlider, who will make a ruling that will be closely watched and could have important consequences, especially in a digital age when cameras are smaller and cheaper.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wear them from lounging around the house, going out with friends, or for a quick singing and sesh, like Duff.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The elevator opens to the foyer, where 12-foot ceilings and polished stone floors lead into the massive great room, stretching 80 feet long; there’s plenty of room to accommodate a trio of lounging and dining areas.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Midler and Hawn co-starred alongside Keaton in 1996’s The First Wives Club, with the stars portraying divorcées who wonderfully, wickedly take revenge on their terrible former spouses.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
-
In the 1970s, when game replays of both programs aired late Saturday nights on public television in Dubuque, Iowa and Wisconsin were equally terrible, and the city was fertile ground for whichever program got off the mat.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Within a few moments, an antlerless deer emerged, loafing along toward Ronnie, completely unalarmed.—
Jim Moore,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
-
She is seen going over the shots planned for the next day and remembering that some loafing around is planned.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lit candles, images on paper and a plaster statue of the folk saint Gauchito Gil, flowers in green plastic bottles, simple bouquets of jasmine floating in rotten water inside coffee cans, a lot of plastic flowers to keep the place colorful.—
Mariana Enriquez
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Karen Read case exposed just how rotten the Bay State justice system can be.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The blue Hyundai came to rest on its roof in the shopping center parking lot in the 8700 block of La Riviera Drive just east of Watt Avenue and south of the American River.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Diego Rincon, creative director at Lifted, says the team spotted an opportunity to work up a big new hit of this ilk after ITV’s stalwart Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was rested.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The rapid escalation of trade tensions sank US stocks on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded their worst day since April.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Investors are eyeing a stock market rebound after Friday’s trade war flare-up sent the S&P 500 to its worst loss since April.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bum. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share