Synonyms of bump

bump 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəmp 

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

• swelling
• lump
• bruise
• nodule
• node
• knot
• tumor
• growth
• hump
• wart
• blister
• welt
• hunch
• contusion
• chunk
• boil
• knob
• clump
• blob
• nub
• gob
• nugget
• hunk
• wad
• gobbet
• clod
• nubble

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

• demotion
• firing
• reduction
• dismissal
• sacking
• humiliation
• downgrade
• layoff
• disrating
• debasement
• abasement

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

• collision
• thump
• jolt
• shock
• crash
• impact
• slam
• slap
• blow
• kick
• pounding
• encounter
• concussion
• contact
• jounce
• hit
• knock
• impingement
• jar
• punch
• strike
• wallop
• smash
• hammering
• thrashing
• bashing
• buffet
• touch
• rap
• licking
• meeting
• pummeling
• clobbering
• battering
• bludgeoning
• lambasting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bang
• collide
• smash
• slam
• hit
• crash
• knock
• ram
• impact
• swipe
• impinge
• thud
• bounce
• strike
• bash
• scrape
• glance
• contact
• skip
• rebound
• push
• brush
• touch
• kiss
• sweep
• nudge
• shave
• land
• ricochet
• skim
• clunk
• graze
• muscle
• jostle
• carom
• press
• bulldoze

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• miss
• skirt

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bump

Noun

Yellowish deposits on or around the eyelids, grayish-white rings around the cornea and yellowish bumps or nodules on the tendons, including the Achilles tendon or the tendons on the back of the hand, can all be a cause for concern. — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

The share of students proficient in math increased compared to 2025, while a small bump in language arts proficiency wasn't statistically significant. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

To squeeze Cabrera into the rotation on Sunday, the Cubs bumped David Peterson to the bullpen for the time being and optioned Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

In This Article Kitchen cabinets get a lot of wear since they’re constantly being opened, slammed, and bumped all day long. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing bump

• bump into
• bump off