1
as in lumps
a small rounded mass of swollen tissue
that's a nasty bump on your arm where you hit the table
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in demotions
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 collisions
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
as in bangs
to come into usually forceful contact with something
that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 bumps
Mark Carey, New York Times, 4 May 2026
After numerous bumps along the way while pregnant, including developing a subchorionic haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia, doctors recommended Maddicyn terminate her pregnancy.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Zinc and iron enrichment was present only in the granular rows of the chela, specifically in the jagged, tooth-like bumps called denticles on the movable outer segment.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
Carranza said filling empty positions will require better salary and training, and perhaps more pay bumps when new hires hit yearly milestones.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Setting the cutting height too low can cause the lawn to burn out in the hot sun and may also force the mower blades into contact with dirt clumps, bumps in the yard, or low-lying obstacles, such as small rocks.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
Cava , Restaurant Brands (Burger King and Tim Hortons), and Shake Shack also saw price target bumps.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Onboard, naturally, were minifigures of astronauts Ryland Grace and Rocky, presumably fisting their bumps in celebration.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
And, surprise, the fish that took a couple bumps swam nearly two times farther per week and swam almost eight miles more than those who weren't exposed to the drugs.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Michael Wayland, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Epic Pass typically bumps its prices two to three times before sales end in early December.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
Everton’s season has been positive, but has not been without its bumps.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 4 May 2026
After numerous bumps along the way while pregnant, including developing a subchorionic haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia, doctors recommended Maddicyn terminate her pregnancy.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
Zinc and iron enrichment was present only in the granular rows of the chela, specifically in the jagged, tooth-like bumps called denticles on the movable outer segment.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026
Carranza said filling empty positions will require better salary and training, and perhaps more pay bumps when new hires hit yearly milestones.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Setting the cutting height too low can cause the lawn to burn out in the hot sun and may also force the mower blades into contact with dirt clumps, bumps in the yard, or low-lying obstacles, such as small rocks.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
Cava , Restaurant Brands (Burger King and Tim Hortons), and Shake Shack also saw price target bumps.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Onboard, naturally, were minifigures of astronauts Ryland Grace and Rocky, presumably fisting their bumps in celebration.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Apr. 2026
And, surprise, the fish that took a couple bumps swam nearly two times farther per week and swam almost eight miles more than those who weren't exposed to the drugs.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX will start at $99,995, excluding a mandatory $2,595 destination fee that bumps the price to $102,590.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Epic Pass typically bumps its prices two to three times before sales end in early December.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumps
Noun
-
The Huskies, after winning the Big East championship and playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 24 years, took some losses in the transfer portal and took their lumps in the early season southern and western swings, losing 10 of their first 12 games.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Other recommendations from the report include allocating more funds for speed lumps and the quick-build program, as well as hiring staff to coordinate a citywide Safe Routes to School program, and exploring a citywide ban on right turns on red lights.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the plaintiffs’ concerns were ignored and, in 2019, the department retaliated by starting Internal Affairs investigations and imposing a series of negative work actions against the officers, including demotions, removals from specialized assignments and involuntary transfers, suit stated.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In Newark, 49 sergeants and 23 lieutenants who manage and supervise departments could face demotions if the results of their 2019 civil service exams are thrown out, according to the president of the city's Superior Officers' Association.—
Christine Sloan,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Altogether, such collisions highlight the risk of space debris to future lunar missions.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
1 May 2026
-
Mountain House saw 12 collisions last month alone, which Osborn said is a high number for a small community.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Teal'c takes out some frustrations on an unlucky grunt who bangs him with a door at the start of every time loop, and O'Neill gets to (temporarily) sample the will-they side of his will-they-won't-they relationship with Carter.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Infection is rapid, causing swellings in the lymph nodes (buboes) and leading to septicaemia and pulmonary infection.—
Matthew Binnicker,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The distinguished scientists and engineers who made up the National Science Board did not know the firings were coming.—
Caroline Wagner,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2026
-
One respected firm publishes a study forecasting mass firings, while another estimates the net effect is minimal.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Each meteoroid collides with Earth's upper atmosphere at 41 miles (66 km) per second, creating an incandescent trail of shocked, ionized air.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
4 May 2026
-
His beat is where a cloud dashboard becomes a construction project—where digital demand collides with factories, transformers, chips and cables.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumps. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
