Bump — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbəmp/

Meaning & Definition of Bump

Bump (noun)

  1. a relatively abrupt convexity or protuberance on a surface
  2. a swelling of tissue
  3. a sudden rise or uneven area in a road surface likely to jolt a passing vehicle

Bump (verb)

  1. to strike or knock (something, such as a body part) with sudden force or violence
  2. to hit and move or dislodge (someone or something)
  3. to move (someone or something) to a different level, position, rank, etc.

Bump (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a small rounded mass of swollen tissue

    "that's a nasty bump on your arm where you hit the table"

    similar: knot, lump, node, nodule, swelling
    related: growth, tumor, wart, hump, hunch, bruise, contusion, welt, blister, boil, blob, chunk, clod, clump, gob, gobbet, hunk, knob, nub, nubble, nugget, wad

  2. the act or an instance of bringing to a lower grade or rank

    "the bump was punishment for insubordination"

    similar: demotion, reduction
    related: disrating, downgrade, dismissal, firing, layoff, sacking, abasement, debasement, humiliation

  3. a forceful coming together of two things

    "I felt the bump of the other car, but there was no damage to either vehicle"

    similar: collision, concussion, crash, impact, impingement, jar, jolt, jounce, kick, shock, slam, smash, strike, wallop
    related: blow, buffet, hit, knock, punch, rap, slap, thump, bashing, battering, bludgeoning, clobbering, hammering, lambasting, licking, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, contact, encounter, meeting, touch

Bump (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come into usually forceful contact with something

    "that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized"

    similar: bang, bash, collide, crash, hit, impact, impinge, knock, ram, slam, smash, strike, swipe, thud
    related: bounce, carom, clunk, glance, rebound, ricochet, skim, skip, contact, land, touch, brush, graze, kiss, nudge, scrape, shave, sweep, bulldoze, jostle, muscle, press, push
    near: miss, skirt

Related Entry: Bump off (verb)

Bump off is a different word from Bump. The synonyms below are for bump off, not for bump.

  1. to put to death deliberately

    "these drug dealers mean business, and they'll bump off anyone who gets in their way"

    similar: assassinate, croak (slang), dispatch, do in, execute, get, ice (slang), knock off, liquidate, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, slay, snuff, take out, terminate, whack (slang), do away with
    related: blow away, shoot, shoot down, blot out, carry off, claim, cut down, destroy, fell, kill, smite, zap, butcher, massacre, mow (down), slaughter, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, exterminate, wipe out
    near: animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive

Related Entry: Bump into (phrase)

Bump into is a different word from Bump. The synonyms below are for bump into, not for bump.

  1. to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face

    "I bumped into Kenny the other day."

    similar: catch, chance (upon), encounter, happen (upon), meet, stumble (upon), cross paths (with), run across, run into, run upon
    related: accost, confront, face, greet, salute, collide (with), crash (into), crisscross, cross, pass, hit (upon), light (upon), tumble (to), reencounter, remeet
    near: avoid, dodge, duck, elude, escape, evade, shake, shun

  2. to come upon unexpectedly or by chance

    "Turn any corner in the old city and you're likely to bump into a piece of history."

    similar: chance (upon), encounter, find, happen (on or upon), hit (upon), light (on or upon), meet, pitch (upon), stumble (on or onto), tumble (upon), come across, run across, run against, run into, run upon
    related: luck (out, on, onto, or into), confront, face, discover, strike, turn up

Related Entry: Bump (up) (verb)

Bump (up) is a different word from Bump. The synonyms below are for bump (up), not for bump.

  1. as in maximize, ratchet (up)

    similar: maximize, ratchet (up), accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up, blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen
    opposite: minimize, abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from), abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bump

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bump:

knot, lump, node, nodule, swelling, demotion, reduction, collision, concussion, crash, impact, impingement, jar, jolt, jounce, kick, shock, slam, smash, strike, wallop, bang, bash, collide, hit, impinge, knock, ram, swipe, thud

Related Words for Bump

growth, tumor, wart, hump, hunch, bruise, contusion, welt, blister, boil, blob, chunk, clod, clump, gob, gobbet, hunk, knob, nub, nubble, nugget, wad, disrating, downgrade, dismissal, firing, layoff, sacking, abasement, debasement

Near Antonyms of Bump

miss, skirt

Word Forms of Bump

Inflections: bumps, bumped, bumping

Origin & Etymology of Bump

probably imitative of the sound of a blow

First known use: 1533

Words & Phrases Containing Bump

bump into, bump off, bump stock, bump uglies, bump up, baby bump, elbow bump, fist bump

Frequently Asked Questions about Bump

What does "Bump" mean?

"Bump" means a relatively abrupt convexity or protuberance on a surface. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a relatively abrupt convexity or protuberance on a surface. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bump"?

Other words for "Bump" include knot, lump, node, nodule, swelling, demotion, reduction and collision. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bump" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bump"?

There are 102 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bump". Common alternatives include knot, lump, node, nodule, swelling, demotion, reduction, collision, concussion and crash.

How do you use "Bump" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bump" in a sentence: "that's a nasty bump on your arm where you hit the table"; "the bump was punishment for insubordination"; "I felt the bump of the other car, but there was no damage to either vehicle".

Is "Bump" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bump" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Bump"?

"Bump" is pronounced /ˈbəmp/.

What is the origin of the word "Bump"?

"Bump" comes from probably imitative of the sound of a blow. First known use: 1533.

What is another word for "Bump" meaning "a small rounded mass of swollen tissue"?

When "Bump" (noun) means a small rounded mass of swollen tissue, synonyms include knot, lump, node, nodule and swelling.