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
Hemani’s case landed at a time when state cannabis laws and federal gun rules are bumping heads more than ever.
—
Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Use light pressure when rubbing the skin, and avoid washing multiple peaches at once to prevent them from bumping into each other.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
This last concern, which could’ve effectively sabotaged anybody trying to train competing models by quietly bumping them down to less powerful models without their knowledge, proved controversial enough for Anthropic to change its mind.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Gilman pulled rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen to the ground after a catch, later bumping rookie running back Emmett Johnson hard enough that Johnson’s helmet popped off.
—Pete Sweeney
june 11, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Outdoor play was spontaneous, fueled by riding my bike around my neighborhood and bumping into other kids who wanted to join me.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 4 June 2026
To alleviate all that blockiness and bulk, the architects chiseled it like a block of marble, shaving here, notching there, bumping out, and pulling in to give it interest in the round.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 4 June 2026
The first day that Sterling arrived, there was music bumping out of a makeup tent on the soundstage.
—Carita Rizzo, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Terminus always made sure their arrival came just after nightfall when the streetlights were lit and families were sitting back with full bellies bumping against their dinner tables, houses quiet; all conversation having already been spent between forkfuls of food and hearty swallows of drink.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Use light pressure when rubbing the skin, and avoid washing multiple peaches at once to prevent them from bumping into each other.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
This last concern, which could’ve effectively sabotaged anybody trying to train competing models by quietly bumping them down to less powerful models without their knowledge, proved controversial enough for Anthropic to change its mind.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Gilman pulled rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen to the ground after a catch, later bumping rookie running back Emmett Johnson hard enough that Johnson’s helmet popped off.
—Pete Sweeney
june 11, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Outdoor play was spontaneous, fueled by riding my bike around my neighborhood and bumping into other kids who wanted to join me.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 4 June 2026
To alleviate all that blockiness and bulk, the architects chiseled it like a block of marble, shaving here, notching there, bumping out, and pulling in to give it interest in the round.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 4 June 2026
The first day that Sterling arrived, there was music bumping out of a makeup tent on the soundstage.
—Carita Rizzo, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Terminus always made sure their arrival came just after nightfall when the streetlights were lit and families were sitting back with full bellies bumping against their dinner tables, houses quiet; all conversation having already been spent between forkfuls of food and hearty swallows of drink.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumping
Verb
-
And on the other hand, there've been some folks who would like to see me out every day, right, banging the drum.—
Mark Guarino,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
-
Cars pushed through the crowd, hitting at least one person as agitators continued banging, kicking and blocking government vehicles.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
He was found dead at a villa with head injuries after a night out, local outlet Majorca Daily Bulletin reported at the time, and he was believed to have died after colliding with a glass window.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
-
Sports and fashion are colliding in a major way this season (hello, World cup), and the style set is fully embracing the trend.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The bomber was in the air a very short time before slamming into the ground about halfway down the runway.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
-
By Monday morning, Israeli politicians from across the spectrum were already slamming the deal, despite the fact that its details remain largely ill-defined.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Yes to hugging and high-fiving a stranger; no to tearing down a lamppost and smashing a cop car.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez also told CNN affiliate KGNS the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure before crashing.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Simply set out bowls of coffee grounds among your outdoor seating areas to prevent ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and squirmy critters from crashing your barbecue.—
Joey Skladany,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
Newsom’s office said that along with the FBI, agents from the IRS have been knocking on doors and asking questions.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Around the world, sharks are washing ashore with their livers removed with chilling precision while in the Strait of Gibraltar, orcas are targeting sailboats – ramming hulls, crippling rudders, and sinking vessels.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
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His most recent conviction resulted from a 2018 case when authorities said he was shot after ramming multiple Fremont undercover police cars, as officers tried to arrest him in a string of car burglaries across the Bay Area.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
The purpose of any heat shield is to be sure the extreme temperatures that objects hitting Earth’s atmosphere experience don’t harm the crew or cargo inside the vehicle.—
Margaret Landis,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumping. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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