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
Relevance
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
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
That started the ball rolling, but there were a lot of bumps on the way.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
The $699 model bumps the storage to a more respectable 512 GB and adds Touch ID for unlocking the Neo, handling credential passkeys and making purchases.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Look, the Royals are better equipped to handle some rotation bumps and bruises.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Her office released a report last month critical of the design and placement of speed humps and bumps.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
In an alternative scenario, the cap would stay fixed in nominal dollar terms, in our examples at $100,000 or $70,000 sans bumps for the CPI, for 20 or 30 years, and after those intervals grow in tandem with wages.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Oh, and he bumps into his dad, Jerry, who apparently didn’t die in World War II but instead traveled through the stones.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Overtime bumps their rate to $60.
—Tim Grant, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Michael Wayland, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
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
The 25-year-old came to the defense of Jamal Murray after an exchange of bumps early in the second quarter, sparking a minor altercation.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
That started the ball rolling, but there were a lot of bumps on the way.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
The $699 model bumps the storage to a more respectable 512 GB and adds Touch ID for unlocking the Neo, handling credential passkeys and making purchases.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Look, the Royals are better equipped to handle some rotation bumps and bruises.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Her office released a report last month critical of the design and placement of speed humps and bumps.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
In an alternative scenario, the cap would stay fixed in nominal dollar terms, in our examples at $100,000 or $70,000 sans bumps for the CPI, for 20 or 30 years, and after those intervals grow in tandem with wages.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Oh, and he bumps into his dad, Jerry, who apparently didn’t die in World War II but instead traveled through the stones.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Overtime bumps their rate to $60.
—Tim Grant, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
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
-
Add American cheese, remaining 1 cup cheddar, and reserved soaking water; stir vigorously until most of the cheese is melted (some small lumps of cheese will remain and that is OK) and water is absorbed.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
-
In Newark, 49 sergeants and 23 lieutenants who manage and supervise departments could face demotions if the results of their 2019 civil service exams are thrown out, according to the president of the city's Superior Officers' Association.—
Christine Sloan,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
-
An attorney for two other administrators who sued over their demotions said Monday that their lawsuit is still pending.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Traffic collisions totaled 1,404, a 25% increase from 2024 and 10 traffic fatalities, compared to six in 2024.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Alongside these head-on collisions, particles also produce a constant stream of near-miss events.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 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
-
This is a path that flies Orion to lunar space on a direct path back to Earth to avoid the need for any major firings of the spacecraft's engine after its translunar injection burn that will put it on a course for the moon.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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In these latest cuts, some of the other firings were in sales, recruiting, and Facebook, signaling that Zuckerberg is separating the chaff in non-AI related units beyond its flailing Metaverse division.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, neighbors can still hear the thumps.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But there is an individual honor looming for Jokic that inevitably collides with controversy, that could determine the fate of this season.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That flashback thread unfolds against the twilight of British colonial rule, as the impending disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch collides with the kidnapping of a prominent business tycoon, triggering a dangerous internal power struggle.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumps. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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