as in banging
to come into usually forceful contact with something
that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized
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Recent Examples of bumping
The new baby is expected to enter the succession fifteenth in line to the throne, bumping those behind them back a spot.
—
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
People start bumping into things and take up space differently.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
Some of the recent videos show the runners bumping into security guards and shoving past church staff, then leaving after being cornered and told to get off the property.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Gulutzan shook things up in the middle of Game 4, bumping Thomas Harley up to the top pairing alongside Heiskanen.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The area Surrounded by a ripple of hills in a relatively unknown section of the Serengeti National Park, there’s little risk of bumping into another vehicle close to camp.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
Here, the layers of the thin-film stack in the material are precisely measured so that unwanted reflections – which would normally waste energy – are cancelled out by the light waves bumping into each other, leaving more energy for the panel to collect.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Back-rower Abi Burton had to lock for the first time, 19-year-old back-rower Demelza Short debuted, and Emma Sing got a shot at fullback, bumping Ellie Kildunne to the wing.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Kansas State transfer tight end Brayden Loftin played in 12 personnel looks with the first-team offense, mainly blocking, but bumping out to the slot, too.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
People start bumping into things and take up space differently.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
Some of the recent videos show the runners bumping into security guards and shoving past church staff, then leaving after being cornered and told to get off the property.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Gulutzan shook things up in the middle of Game 4, bumping Thomas Harley up to the top pairing alongside Heiskanen.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The area Surrounded by a ripple of hills in a relatively unknown section of the Serengeti National Park, there’s little risk of bumping into another vehicle close to camp.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
Here, the layers of the thin-film stack in the material are precisely measured so that unwanted reflections – which would normally waste energy – are cancelled out by the light waves bumping into each other, leaving more energy for the panel to collect.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Back-rower Abi Burton had to lock for the first time, 19-year-old back-rower Demelza Short debuted, and Emma Sing got a shot at fullback, bumping Ellie Kildunne to the wing.
—ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Kansas State transfer tight end Brayden Loftin played in 12 personnel looks with the first-team offense, mainly blocking, but bumping out to the slot, too.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumping
Verb
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The audio recording captured the sounds of the ensuing attack, including banging, screaming, crying and choking.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
Magic Mountain removed Revolution’s simple lap bars in 1992 and installed over-the-shoulder restraints — resulting in head-banging headaches for dismayed riders and making the coaster painfully unrideable.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2026
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The trailers lean hard into cinephile in-jokes, typically riffing on film history before colliding those references with the realities of running a defiantly non-mainstream festival.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The world’s second largest economy has been relatively insulated from the historic global oil crisis slamming its neighbors – including key regional US allies – due to China’s huge oil reserves, its high level of energy self-sufficiency and its early shift to green energy.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
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Stewart’s critics have been slamming her, saying there was a pattern of favoritism at city hall during her 12-year tenure.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Surveillance video captured the assault, which showed the victim being repeatedly struck in the head with a hammer after confronting the suspect for smashing her car window.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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My hand was in a lot of pain from smashing the cane everywhere.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
Verb
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And yet, this underwhelming sequel reads more like a slow-motion rendering of the exact moment such notoriously cumbersome IP came crashing down on its challenger.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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An 18-year-old man died on Sunday after losing control of his car and crashing on Highway 74 in Riverside County, according to the California Highway Patrol.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Summer is knocking at the door.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
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Not a dog barking or a feral cat knocking the lid off the garbage.—
Ellen Bass,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Elliot Rodger went on a killing spree, stabbing, shooting and ramming people with a vehicle in Isla Vista, California, killing six people and injuring more than a dozen before dying by suicide.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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In March last year, a car-ramming incident in the southwestern city of Mannheim killed an 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man, while other people were injured.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Verb
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For any questions, ranging from recommendations for hitting the town to extra amenities needed, the lobby desk was always readily available and seemed genuinely happy to help.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
-
Valdez has received a six-game suspension and a fine for an undisclosed amount after hitting Story in the back with a 94-mph fastball with the first pitch of the at-bat, MLB announced Wednesday.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumping. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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