LUMPS Synonyms: 361 Similar and Opposite Words

lumps 1 of 2

noun

plural of lump

as in chunks

a small uneven mass she dumped a lump of clay on the table and started to sculpt

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as in swellings

a small rounded mass of swollen tissue I got a good-sized lump on my head from that fall

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as in tumors

an abnormal mass of tissue advised by her doctor to examine her breasts regularly for unusual lumps

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as in defeats

failure to win a contest you can't win all the time, so learn to take your lumps in stride

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in idiots

a stupid person gazed disgustedly at the lump her daughter had married

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as in hulks

a big clumsy often slow-witted person standing next to those ballet dancers, with their graceful way of moving, I felt like a lump

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lumps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lump

as in collects

to bring together in one body or place when we lumped all of our pocket change together, we found that we had just enough a buy a carton of ice cream

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shuffles

to move heavily or clumsily while I was on crutches, I was lumping about the house like an elephant

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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 lumps

Noun

Can turkey tail mushrooms shrink lipomas, the soft, fatty lumps that show up under the skin of countless aging dogs? — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2026 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 The American Breast Cancer Foundation urged men to be aware of any changes in their chest area, including nipple pain, lumps and swelling in the breast or underarm. — Doha Madani, NBC news, 10 June 2026 The question becomes whether the Blues want to bring in a reinforcement now or let their recent high draft picks take their lumps. — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 26 May 2026 This fermentation process separates the milk into curds (the thicker lumps of cheese) and whey (the liquid portion). — Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 24 May 2026 Adding the grits to the pot slowly while stirring is key to the dish's creaminess and no lumps. — Emma Ashe, Southern Living, 15 May 2026 The Huskies, after winning the Big East championship and playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 24 years, took some losses in the transfer portal and took their lumps in the early season southern and western swings, losing 10 of their first 12 games. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026

Verb

Critics also say Horvath lumps together different types of ed tech and doesn’t grapple with research that supports moderate use of computers in school. — Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 31 May 2026 Most lumps such as these are noncancerous lipomas, or fatty tumors, and a decision on whether to remove them is based on whether the lumps interfere with movements or threaten other issues. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026 Advertisement Breaking it down Artificial intelligence is an umbrella-term for several different technologies, from autonomous vehicles to chatbots—and the database lumps these together without a comprehensive structure. — Harry Booth, Time, 19 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumps

Noun

The Perseids are also famed for producing vivid green fireballs capable of briefly turning night to day as larger chunks of debris collide with Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 37 miles per second (59 kilometers per second).

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Then there are hospitality packages, which represent significant chunks of MetLife Stadium and sold for even higher prices.

— Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of chunks

Noun

This microscopic roundworm lays its eggs in root tissues, causing swellings or galls to develop on infected roots.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 June 2026
Infection is rapid, causing swellings in the lymph nodes (buboes) and leading to septicaemia and pulmonary infection.

— Matthew Binnicker, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Definition of swellings

Noun

Pituitary problems may come from damage, dysfunction, or tumors (which are often noncancerous).

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Deploying ultrasound to guide genes into certain tissues is an old idea — researchers have explored using it to deliver chemotherapy into tumors — but it is generally seen as not powerful enough to do this kind of work.

— O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 17 July 2026

Definition of tumors

Noun

Your mind fills with all the defeats; all the anguish of mistakes made and opportunities missed.

— Kristine Fischer, Outdoor Life, 16 July 2026
Then came consecutive defeats to Georgia and Georgia Tech, two losses under totally different circumstances that launched this downfall.

— Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of defeats

Noun

In McBride’s work, collections of idiots and unlikable misfits strive for power and achievement and are inevitably foiled by their own flaws.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026
This isn't the first time athletes have ever had to deal with mean fans, or online trolls, or idiots behind a keyboard.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of idiots

Verb

If your shop collects customer data online, cyber liability insurance could be a smart move to guard against cyber attacks, data breaches and other situations where you could be held liable for exposing information.

— Liz Knueven, CNBC, 16 July 2026
First established in 2018 to start building up money for the county’s SMART Plan to extend rail countywide, the reserve collects property taxes from properties close to Miami-Dade’s mass-transit lines.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Definition of collects

Verb

On a cloudy-white Sunday morning in June, Joey Phelps shuffles into the familiar back pew of Yeakley Chapel, the small Methodist church that has been a part of his life for nearly 50 years.

— Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2026
As though on cue, Wardrobe — my beloved, and giant, closet — shuffles over from the corner of my room, the mahogany wood groaning with the effort.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026

Definition of shuffles

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lump (it)

lumps

lumps (it)

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Style

“Lumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumps. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of lumps

noun

verb

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