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
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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
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Recent Examples of bumps
Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
Wherever creator Lee Sung Jin took the concept next, a bitter rivalry would presumably be its driving force, just as Wong and Yeun’s searing anti-platonic chemistry powered Season 1 through some tonal bumps and big swings.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Aldermen are set to vote today on halting planned tipped worker wage bumps set to eliminate Chicago’s subminimum wage in 2028.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
New principal owner Tom Pohlad was handing out first bumps in the hallway outside the Twins’ clubhouse following the sweep-completing win.
—Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
School board members voted to implement the pay bumps at a special meeting Thursday, scheduled after Tuesday’s vote on the district’s ballot measure, which was pitched as a way to raise district employee pay.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
This is an excellent way to secure your personal item to a larger suitcase while protecting it from the bumps and scuffs that come with travel.
—Nathan Allen, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
The road to success is always paved with bumps.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Were there severe bumps that the administration didn’t expect?
—Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 8 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
That dream would eventually come true, but not without some bumps in the road.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
Wherever creator Lee Sung Jin took the concept next, a bitter rivalry would presumably be its driving force, just as Wong and Yeun’s searing anti-platonic chemistry powered Season 1 through some tonal bumps and big swings.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Aldermen are set to vote today on halting planned tipped worker wage bumps set to eliminate Chicago’s subminimum wage in 2028.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
New principal owner Tom Pohlad was handing out first bumps in the hallway outside the Twins’ clubhouse following the sweep-completing win.
—Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
School board members voted to implement the pay bumps at a special meeting Thursday, scheduled after Tuesday’s vote on the district’s ballot measure, which was pitched as a way to raise district employee pay.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
This is an excellent way to secure your personal item to a larger suitcase while protecting it from the bumps and scuffs that come with travel.
—Nathan Allen, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
The road to success is always paved with bumps.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Were there severe bumps that the administration didn’t expect?
—Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 8 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
-
Traoré took his lumps early but started and excelled down the stretch.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Very hard, small lumps or watery, soupy liquid are both cause for concern.—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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An attorney for two other administrators who sued over their demotions said Monday that their lawsuit is still pending.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
None of the four fatal crashes occurred within the project’s limits, but four separate collisions in the half-mile stretch have killed people since 2017.—
Chris Fusco. Story produced with AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Airport officials didn't respond immediately to questions about what happened and what procedures are in place to prevent collisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Binance has said that the firings of the investigators were unrelated to their findings on Iranian flows, and that the crypto exchange maintains a rigorous compliance program.—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
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For more than a year, the program has operated far below capacity with about 83 staff members, following a period of upheaval that included firings, rehires and shifting leadership, even as the participant population grew by nearly 30,000 new enrollees.—
Liz Neporent,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The business model underpinning kids and family animation is under growing strain, as a post-streaming contraction collides with declining linear viewership and tighter commissioning, a panel at Spain’s Quirino Future Lab session underscored on Wednesday.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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High above the southern part of the Massachusetts island, the Atlantic Ocean collides with the shore.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumps. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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