bump 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəmp How to pronounce bump (audio)
Definition of bumpnext
1
as in swelling
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue that's a nasty bump on your arm where you hit the table

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2
as in demotion
the act or an instance of bringing to a lower grade or rank the bump was punishment for insubordination

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3
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things I felt the bump of the other car, but there was no damage to either vehicle

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bump

2 of 2

verb

as in to bang
to come into usually forceful contact with something that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized

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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 bump
Noun
Another major bump in the road has arrived for Jonathon Brooks. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026 But even a bump of that magnitude wasn’t enough to grab the top spot among the league’s best earners. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
Google bumped the Pixel Watch 5 by $50, bringing it to an identical $399 base price as Apple's entry model. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026 Austin Mock’s model bumped their playoff odds to 33 percent after Week 1. — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bump
  1. swelling
  2. demotion
  3. collision
  4. bang
  5. lump
  6. firing
  7. thump
  8. collide
Noun
  • These lightweight compression socks gently squeeze the feet and calves in order to improve blood circulation, reduce swelling, and prevent pain.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Enter Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), a minimally-invasive procedure that lessens blood flow to inflamed spots in the knee to reduce chronic pain and swelling.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of swelling
Noun
  • McCoy’s lawsuit alleges that her demotion was in violation of Missouri’s whistleblower statute, which allows public employees to sue for unlawful retaliation after reporting violations of law.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The outcome of the investigation, Balon said, resulted in the officer receiving a demotion in rank, an unpaid suspension, an indefinite suspension from the use of Flock and remedial ethics training.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of demotion
Noun
  • Thomas defenders maintained that slow-motion replays and freeze frames made an accidental collision appear deliberate.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • According to the suit, the issues led to at least one collision and two train breakdowns that stranded hundreds of travelers in the heat.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision
Verb
  • The autistic girl had stopped hurting herself by banging her head on the floor when she was frustrated.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Officers were responding to a house sitter who discovered the damage while checking on loud banging in the home’s rear, police said.
    — Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • Experts recommend seeing a doctor promptly for any lump, swelling, pain or change in a testicle.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Martinez told legislators at a hearing this year how his wife had found a lump in her breast and asked for an appointment with her longtime caregiver at Kaiser to examine it.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of lump
Noun
  • At the heart of the GOP frustration with Hegseth is his handling of military firings and promotions.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Following the coach’s firing in July 2023, more than 260 Northwestern faculty members signed a petition calling for the stadium plans to be halted until at least athletic department’s problems could be sorted out.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of firing
Noun
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Giants lineup even lacked Rafael Devers’ considerable thump for the first time since the Giants traded for him last summer.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • The second-year tight end also visited the blue medical tent on the sideline Sunday after a 19-yard catch-and-run in which he got collided hard with a Browns defensive back.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Starring and executive produced by Saldaña and Nicole Kidman, Season 3 of Lioness sees hidden networks, foreign operatives and personal betrayals collide.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of collide

Phrases Containing bump

Browse Nearby Words

bum (out)
bump
bumped
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Cite this Entry

“Bump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bump. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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