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
CBS News, 21 June 2026
At this distal end, which forms your elbow joint with your radius and ulna, are two bony bumps, called epicondyles.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
In fact, in the original ending, Jill literally bumps into Rhimes in an elevator before getting her big break.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 18 June 2026
These pests don't just leave us with red, itchy bumps, but are also vectors of numerous diseases.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Clearly, bumps on the road, in terms of some of his prior behavior, some of his prior statements.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
Plates of chi kyufta, lean raw meat kneaded with bulgur, aromatics and spices, sit alongside enough caviar to accommodate bumps the size of golf balls for 450 guests.
—Ani Duzdabanyan, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Parents and beauty enthusiasts alike praise its ability to smooth stubborn bumps and improve skin texture.
—Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 14 June 2026
No amount of paint can hide cracked plaster, bumps, nail holes, or uneven textures.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
The department bumps the call to a higher-priority response (Priority 1) due to the potential for violence.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
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
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
And there's going to be some bumps in the road, for sure.
—CBS News, 21 June 2026
At this distal end, which forms your elbow joint with your radius and ulna, are two bony bumps, called epicondyles.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
In fact, in the original ending, Jill literally bumps into Rhimes in an elevator before getting her big break.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 18 June 2026
These pests don't just leave us with red, itchy bumps, but are also vectors of numerous diseases.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Clearly, bumps on the road, in terms of some of his prior behavior, some of his prior statements.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
Plates of chi kyufta, lean raw meat kneaded with bulgur, aromatics and spices, sit alongside enough caviar to accommodate bumps the size of golf balls for 450 guests.
—Ani Duzdabanyan, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Parents and beauty enthusiasts alike praise its ability to smooth stubborn bumps and improve skin texture.
—Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 14 June 2026
No amount of paint can hide cracked plaster, bumps, nail holes, or uneven textures.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026
Verb
Did join Kylian Mbappe and Ferenc Puskas as one of only three players to score a European Cup knockout-phase brace against Barcelona at Camp Nou, which bumps him up the list a bit.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
The department bumps the call to a higher-priority response (Priority 1) due to the potential for violence.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
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
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
-
Far from lumps of rock, the trojans, along with DJ and Dinkinesh (which is the Ethiopian name for the Lucy fossil), are windows into the past, and the storytellers of the Earth's most ancient history.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 June 2026
-
Lenders will take the keys and private equity will take its lumps, as designed.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
City employees allegedly took demotions or resigned to avoid a toxic work environment.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
-
The cautionary tales are bottomless, from Reading and Blackburn Rovers’ respective demotions in England two seasons ago to FC Girondins de Bordeaux and ASJ Soyaux in France, who this year were forced to collapse due to structural vulnerabilities.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Train collisions are relatively rare in Britain.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
At least two vehicle collisions involving ICE arrests have been reported in the Chicago area in the last month.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
When selecting the perfect of-the-moment style for you (Jane Birkin bangs?—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
-
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
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
-
Breslow knows a sell-off would mean admitting the firings didn’t work.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Donovan’s departure followed the April 6 firings of executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley with four games left in the season.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Agents yelled from every direction, and the thumps of a news helicopter overhead were deafening.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
You’ll be thrown around in your seat, which moves in sync with the action, along with thumps in the back, splashes of water, blasts of air, smoke, and flashes of light.—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
During its journey through the atmosphere over tens of miles, the asteroid collides with air molecules, and the incredible temperatures and pressure usually vaporize it.—
Adam Lark,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumps. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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