Bums — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb phrase noun phrase /ˈbəm/ (noun) /ˈbəmz-/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Bums

Bums (noun)

  1. someone who lives off others and avoids work, sponge
  2. someone who performs a function poorly
  3. someone whose time is devoted to a recreational activity
  4. buttocks
  5. a drinking spree, bender
  6. forcible eviction or dismissal

Bums (verb)

  1. disappoint, depress —usually used with out
  2. loaf
  3. to spend time unemployed and often wandering —often used with around
  4. to obtain by asking or begging, cadge

Bums (phrase)

  1. to attract people to see a movie, play, game, etc.

Bums (noun phrase)

  1. the act of forcing someone to leave a position or place

Bums (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the part of the body upon which someone sits

    "I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise"

    similar: backsides, behinds, booties (slang), bottoms, breeches, buns, buttocks, butts, cabooses, cans, cheeks, derrieres, duffs, fannies, fundaments, hams, haunches, heinies (slang), hunkers, keisters (slang), nates, posteriors, rear ends, rears, rumps, seats, tail ends, tails, tushes (slang)
    related: beams, sterns, moons (slang)

  2. an idle worthless person

    "if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum"

    similar: derelicts, do-nothings, good-for-nothings, ne'er-do-wells, no-accounts, no-goodniks, no-goods, slackers, vagrants
    related: hoboes, sundowners (Australian), tramps, vagabonds, drifters, roamers, transients, beggars, panhandlers, dodgers, goldbricks, shirkers, gamines, ragamuffins, urchins, waifs, drones, idlers, lazybones, loafers, slouches, sluggards, slugs, down-and-outs, indigents, paupers
    near: successes, winners

  3. a homeless wanderer who may beg or steal for a living

    "I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money"

    similar: bindle stiffs, bummers, hoboes, sundowners (Australian), swaggies (chiefly Australian), swagmen (chiefly Australian), tramps, vagabonds, vagrants
    related: drifters, roamers, transients, beggars, derelicts, mendicants, panhandlers, stiffs, dodgers, malingerers, shirkers, slackers, gamines, ragamuffins, urchins, waifs

Bums (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to spend time doing nothing

    "spent most of the summer just bumming around the house"

    similar: chills, dallies, dawdles, dillydallies, drones, footles, goofs (off), hacks (around), hangs about (British), hangs (around or out), idles, kicks around, kicks back, lazes, lazies, loafs, lolls, lounges, vegges out, kills time, twiddles one's thumbs
    related: fiddles (around), fools, messes, monkeys, mucks, piddles, plays, potters (around), putters (around), trifles, dozes, estivates, hibernates, lags, lingers, loiters, pokes, relaxes, rests, tarries, ambles, moseys, saunters, strolls, swans, furloughs, goldbricks, malingers, truants
    near: drudges, grinds, grubs, humps, hustles, labors, moils, pegs, plods, plows, plugs, slaves, sweats, toils, travails, works, applies, buckles (down), exerts, puts out

Related Entry: Bum (noun)

Bum is a different word from Bums. The synonyms below are for bum, not for bums.

  1. the part of the body upon which someone sits

    "I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise"

    similar: backside, behind, booty (slang), bottom, breech, buns, butt, buttocks, caboose, can, cheeks, derriere, duff, fanny, fundament, hams, haunches, heinie (slang), hunkers, keister (slang), nates, posterior, rear, rear end, rump, seat, tail, tail end, tush (slang)
    related: beam, stern, moon (slang)

Related Entry: Bum (noun)

Bum is a different word from Bums. The synonyms below are for bum, not for bums.

  1. an idle worthless person

    "if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum"

    similar: derelict, do-nothing, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account, no-good, no-goodnik, slacker, vagrant
    related: hobo, sundowner (Australian), tramp, vagabond, drifter, roamer, transient, beggar, panhandler, dodger, goldbrick, shirker, gamine, ragamuffin, urchin, waif, drone, idler, lazybones, loafer, slouch, slug, sluggard, down-and-out, indigent, pauper
    near: success, winner

  2. a homeless wanderer who may beg or steal for a living

    "I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money"

    similar: bindle stiff, bummer, hobo, sundowner (Australian), swaggie (chiefly Australian), swagman (chiefly Australian), tramp, vagabond, vagrant
    related: drifter, roamer, transient, beggar, derelict, mendicant, panhandler, stiff, dodger, malingerer, shirker, slacker, gamine, ragamuffin, urchin, waif

Related Entry: Bum (verb)

Bum is a different word from Bums. The synonyms below are for bum, not for bums.

  1. to spend time doing nothing

    "spent most of the summer just bumming around the house"

    similar: chill, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drone, footle, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), hang about (British), idle, kick around, kick back, laze, lazy, loaf, loll, lounge, veg out, kill time, twiddle one's thumbs
    related: fiddle (around), fool, mess, monkey, muck, piddle, play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, doze, estivate, hibernate, lag, linger, loiter, poke, relax, rest, tarry, amble, mosey, saunter, stroll, swan, furlough, goldbrick, malinger, truant
    near: drudge, grind, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg, plod, plow, plug, slave, sweat, toil, travail, work, apply, buckle (down), exert, put out

Related Entry: Bum (out) (verb)

Bum (out) is a different word from Bums. The synonyms below are for bum (out), not for bums.

  1. to make sad

    "that sort of news really bums me out"

    similar: burden, dash, deject, depress, get down, oppress, sadden, weigh down
    related: ail, distress, trouble, afflict, torment, torture, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, unnerve, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, disturb, exercise, freak (out), perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry
    opposite: brighten, buoy, cheer (up), gladden, lighten, rejoice
    near: animate, enliven, invigorate, assure, comfort, console, reassure, solace, soothe, excite, inspire, stimulate, elate, exhilarate, encourage, hearten, delight, gratify, please, boost, elevate, lift, uplift

Related Entry: Bums (around) (verb)

Bums (around) is a different word from Bums. The synonyms below are for bums (around), not for bums.

  1. as in hangs, lounges (around or about)

    similar: dawdles, goldbricks, hangs, hangs about (British), idles, loafs, lounges (around or about), relaxes, rests, screws around, slacks (off), fiddles (around), messes around, putters (around), jests, jokes, teases, delights, pleases, amuses, diverts, entertains, dabbles, trifles, cavorts, frisks, gambols, romps, dallies, disports, frolics, plays, recreates, rollicks, skylarks, sports, toys
    opposite: drudges, labors, plods, plugs (away), slaves, strains, strives, struggles, sweats, toils, works

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bums

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bums:

Slang: booties, heinies, keisters, tushes
Chiefly Australian: swaggies, swagmen
Australian: sundowners
British: hangs about
backsides, behinds, bottoms, breeches, buns, buttocks, butts, cabooses, cans, cheeks, derrieres, duffs, fannies, fundaments, hams, haunches, hunkers, nates, posteriors, rear ends, rears, rumps, seats, tail ends, tails, derelicts, do-nothings, good-for-nothings, ne'er-do-wells, no-accounts, no-goodniks, no-goods, slackers, vagrants, bindle stiffs, bummers, hoboes, tramps, vagabonds, chills

Related Words for Bums

beams, sterns, moons, drifters, roamers, transients, beggars, panhandlers, dodgers, goldbricks, shirkers, gamines, ragamuffins, urchins, waifs, idlers, lazybones, loafers, slouches, sluggards, slugs, down-and-outs, indigents, paupers, mendicants, stiffs, malingerers, fiddles (around), fools, messes

Near Antonyms of Bums

successes, winners, drudges, grinds, grubs, humps, hustles, labors, moils, pegs, plods, plows, plugs, slaves, sweats, toils, travails, works, applies, buckles (down), exerts, puts out

Word Forms of Bums

Inflections: bummed, bumming

Origin & Etymology of Bums

probably short for bummer:1

First known use: 1864

Words & Phrases Containing Bums

get/put bums on seats

Frequently Asked Questions about Bums

What does "Bums" mean?

"Bums" means someone who lives off others and avoids work, sponge. As an a noun, a verb, a phrase and a noun phrase, it is defined as: someone who lives off others and avoids work, sponge. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bums"?

Other words for "Bums" include backsides, behinds, booties, bottoms, breeches, buns, buttocks and butts. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bums" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bums"?

There are 122 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bums". Common alternatives include backsides, behinds, booties, bottoms, breeches, buns, buttocks, butts, cabooses and cans.

What is a slang word for "Bums"?

Slang words for "Bums" include booties, heinies, keisters and tushes.

How do you use "Bums" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bums" in a sentence: "I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise"; "if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum"; "I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money".

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

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

How do you pronounce "Bums"?

"Bums" is pronounced /ˈbəm/ as a noun and /ˈbəmz-/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Bums"?

"Bums" comes from probably short for bummer:1. First known use: 1864.