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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Silver brushed off this week’s rejection as a bump in the road. — Alex Sherman, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 The singer saw a massive streaming bump during the second weekend of the festival, with her Spotify plays jumping 380 percent globally, according to the platform. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
These combined create a soundscape that'll keep you bumping and immersed in your audio. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 After a month, McCaffery bumped the listing price down to $915,000 from $925,000. — Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 28 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
  • Symptoms can include leg heaviness, aching, swelling, throbbing and itching, Stoughton said.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Symptoms usually affect one breast and can include discoloration, a persistent rash, swelling, warmth, skin that looks pitted like an orange peel and a nipple that turns inward, according to the National Cancer Institute.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of swelling
Noun
  • However, Harvey said, such a demotion must be carefully implemented so as not to inadvertently punish Championship League teams investing the right way in the hopes of making the top flight.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Discharge, suspension, demotion, and reductions in pay or hours are among the actions that can fall within that framework.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of demotion
Noun
  • Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events, including the difficulty of getting oil out of the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which has raised the price of all oil products.
    — Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • That collision is ultimately the defining moment of the work.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision
Verb
  • On this day in 1960, one of the most shocking and iconic Cold War moments unfolded when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev brandished and banged his shoe at the United Nations.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Kulich stood near the side of the net banging his stick on the ice, and Power found him with the perfect pass.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Noun
  • She was left with multiple bruises and a lump on the back of her head.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The cash will be paid in a single lump-sum within 30 days following the close — which was earlier today.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lump
Noun
  • Each afternoon, the staff pays homage to the hotel’s past with a military procession and cannon firing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What readers are saying The comments reflect a heated debate over the firing of a substitute teacher who had an OnlyFans account.
    — Dan Simmons, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of firing
Noun
  • But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Verb
  • Referee Furman South briefly went down to the ice early in the third period when Vegas center Nic Dowd collided with him.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • One person was killed when their car collided with an Independence Police Department patrol vehicle early Sunday, according to police.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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