1
as in protruded
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the dress bunches a bit at the waist
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in huddled
to gather into a closely packed group
the slow service caused the customers at the pick-up counter to bunch up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of bunched
When it stays bunched together, moisture gets trapped in the folds, creating the perfect environment for mildew and mold growth.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
Ian Flora backpedaled down the hallway of U of L Health's Peace Hospital as a teenage boy walked toward him with his fingers bunched into a tight ball.
—Stephanie Kuzydym, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2025
This was a bit of a daunting Pips grid, with so many tiles all bunched together, but once again there weren’t a ton of different conditions to juggle.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Jaron braced himself, his face bunched in trepidation, waiting for her outburst.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Instead of being evenly spread out along the material’s lattice (or atomic arrangement), electrons bunched together in certain regions and spread out in others, forming a wave pattern—or a charge density wave (CDW) phase.
—Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 23 July 2025
Only 13 of these wildlife portals exist in the study area stretching 102 miles, and they are bunched around San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge east of Douglas and the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area southeast of Sierra Vista.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2024
So Yates turned instead to draped silk gowns and bunched, Middle European–style cloaks for the aging princess, largely inspired by garments in 19th-century artworks by Lawrence Alma-Tadema, a Dutch painter of classical subjects.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Plus, corduroy hides wrinkles remarkably well, so no one can notice them even if these get a little bunched up in my suitcase.
—Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
Ian Flora backpedaled down the hallway of U of L Health's Peace Hospital as a teenage boy walked toward him with his fingers bunched into a tight ball.
—Stephanie Kuzydym, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2025
This was a bit of a daunting Pips grid, with so many tiles all bunched together, but once again there weren’t a ton of different conditions to juggle.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Jaron braced himself, his face bunched in trepidation, waiting for her outburst.
—Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Instead of being evenly spread out along the material’s lattice (or atomic arrangement), electrons bunched together in certain regions and spread out in others, forming a wave pattern—or a charge density wave (CDW) phase.
—Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 23 July 2025
Only 13 of these wildlife portals exist in the study area stretching 102 miles, and they are bunched around San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge east of Douglas and the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area southeast of Sierra Vista.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 27 Nov. 2024
So Yates turned instead to draped silk gowns and bunched, Middle European–style cloaks for the aging princess, largely inspired by garments in 19th-century artworks by Lawrence Alma-Tadema, a Dutch painter of classical subjects.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Plus, corduroy hides wrinkles remarkably well, so no one can notice them even if these get a little bunched up in my suitcase.
—Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bunched
Verb
-
Inside, hundreds of people huddled together, crying.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
On fourth down a flag was thrown for what looked like pass interference on the Mustangs, but after the officials huddled, the penalty was waved off giving the ball back to the Bulldogs.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
No movie poked holes in the stereotypical puffy rock-star ego more effectively than Spinal Tap did, and there are legions of fans who have the film almost completely memorized.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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After the cyberstalking ordeal came to an end and started making national news, the Wilsons poked fun at Kendra's fate by dressing up a scarecrow in a prison jumpsuit with a mask of her mugshot over its face, per The Cut.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In a luxury market crowded with momentary noise, Coach has chosen cultural stages that echo.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Without health insurance, the bills piled up, roughly $24,000.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Its last two, led largely by QB Ryan Staub at tempo, piled up 181 late in the second quarter.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But the country’s extreme wealth remains clustered in a handful of hot spots.—
Ella Malmgren,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
There was no external funding, so the creation of this film was essentially a group of friends clustered around the script, having intense artistic conversations, and nothing else existed outside that circle.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bunched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bunched. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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