gum 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gumnext
as in goo

Related Words

Relevance

gum

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to clump

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to tar

Related Words
3
as in to chew

Related Words

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 gum
Noun
Olivia Wilde plays the swaggering multidisciplinary artist Erika Tracy, whose portfolio includes a pointillist vulva composed of chewed gum, an audio loop of her own orgasm, and an enormous, Claes Oldenburg-esque sculpture of a spiked fetish collar. — Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 26 July 2026 Flossing daily removes plaque and food particles from those areas, helping prevent cavities between teeth and reducing your risk of gum disease, which has been linked to a range of health problems beyond your mouth. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 23 July 2026
Verb
At the same time, Sahara dust can gum up the atmosphere and inhibit storms from forming. — Brian Kahn, Wired News, 21 May 2026 The unstable and conflicting posture of this center-left and center-right alliance has gummed up the German government’s capacity to make drastic changes. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gum
  1. goo
  2. clump
  3. tar
  4. chew
  5. dope
  6. curd
  7. oil
  8. lick
Noun
  • His emotions — and that sticky goo in his wrists — are about to burst.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The action, set on France’s rugged northern coast, is anchored by teen romance, involves far-right anti-migrant activists, and is complicated by blue goo from space that creates clones—including of the two loopy police officers who investigate.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 26 June 2026
Definition of goo
Verb
  • Dividing clumps every few years in early spring also maintains their vigor.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
  • The heroine’s eyes are filled with yearning, her eyelashes glistening and ever-so-perfectly clumped?
    — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 5 July 2026
Definition of clump
Verb
  • The 1974 tournament in West Germany was tarred by the geopolitical fallout of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
  • Public perceptions The two most damaging nuclear disasters in history – Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011 – each tarred the technology in the eyes of the public, leading politicians to decommission projects.
    — Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Definition of tar
Verb
  • When any of these organisms die, tiny microbes start chewing them up.
    — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • The crust achieves that perfect balance of char and chew, and the toppings are minimal but impeccable.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of chew
Noun
  • So many people are doing amazing things on the show, like our dope writers and animators.
    — Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • And Amthor the ‘psychic consultant’ and Sonderberg the ‘dope doctor’ are lesser figures in a novel in which no detail is left undescribed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of dope
Verb
  • Be sure to allow a few hours of chilling time to let the flavors meld and the biscuits, cream, and curd to set into a soft, scoopable consistency.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of curd
Verb
  • Botero uses the Hair & Scalp Oil for traditional Ayurvedic hair oiling treatments.
    — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Then back by a slightly different route, past more hides and oiled walnut and blued steel.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
Definition of oil
Verb
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • That means no tasting cookie dough made with raw eggs, no licking brownie batter off the beaters, and no homemade Caesar dressing made with uncooked yolks.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of lick

Browse Nearby Words

gulps
gum
gumbo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gum. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gum

Nglish: Translation of gum for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gum

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All