bumpy

adjective

ˈbəm-pē How to pronounce bumpy (audio)
Definition of bumpynext
1
as in rough
marked by a series of sharp quick motions a bumpy ride over a badly rutted road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface the bumpy road made the jeep bounce all over

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 bumpy SpaceX’s revenue jumped 92% from a year ago, blowing past Wall Street expectations in the rocket maker’s first post-IPO earnings report, after weeks of bumpy trading. — Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026 For Warsh and Fed watchers alike, the next four years seem likely to be long and bumpy. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Ukraine and its allies need to prepare for a long and bumpy road. — Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026 The creamy, frosting-like texture acts like a hug of moisture for my dry, bumpy skin. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumpy
  1. rough
  2. uneven
  3. jagged
  4. rugged
Adjective
  • While the exact timing and intensity of the impacts are still uncertain and will ultimately depend on how close Lala tracks to the Hawaiian islands, heavy rain, strong winds and rough surf impacts are likely this weekend.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • More recently, a rolling cast of content creators has taken to making day trips to Blackpool’s roughest wards to capitalize on the environs of its impoverished communities.
    — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • Engineers maintained extremely gentle gradients across long distances while using tunnels, channels, and arched bridges to cross uneven terrain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Both players have been uneven throughout training camp, but Klubnik is the frontrunner to win the job and was the better player against the Buccaneers.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneven
Adjective
  • The man’s skull had broken in 61 separate places, and another 60 jagged bits of bone were distributed across his ribs.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Arctic dreams Russian President Vladimir Putin has long envisioned the 3,500-mile route along Russia’s jagged Arctic coastline becoming a major artery for trade – and a driver of investment in Russian ports and oil and gas fields.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of jagged
Adjective
  • For instance, try balancing out the rugged look with feminine shorts like the LyreBird Silken Lace-Trim Shorts.
    — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro emerges as a powerful, rugged, and handsome truck, despite its premium price and massive size.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged

Browse Nearby Words

bump (up)
bumpy
bum-rush
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumpy. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bumpy

Nglish: Translation of bumpy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All