BUMPING Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

bumping

verb

present participle of bump

as in banging

to come into usually forceful contact with something that police officer bumped into me and should have apologized

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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 bumping There can be two women who are strong and dynamic, who are, at points, up against each other or bumping heads, but have the same mission and goal. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 These combined create a soundscape that'll keep you bumping and immersed in your audio. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Simply bumping the protein number on a label doesn’t produce those outcomes on its own. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 This clamshell pack from Mystery Ranch has durable materials, solid stitching, and reinforced seams that help keep out dust from bumping around in a Land Cruiser. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026 Of course, Preece’s move into the field meant bumping out another driver. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Bonhams is bumping its buyer’s premium up to 30 percent from 28 percent for bids of £25,000 ($33,700) or less. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Still, with the right conditions, getting close to beds without bumping deer becomes much easier. — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026 In June, Luna hopped clumsily from one branch to another, bumping Sandy off her perch and sending her to a branch below. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bumping

Verb

Kulich stood near the side of the net banging his stick on the ice, and Power found him with the perfect pass.

— Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
The autistic girl had stopped hurting herself by banging her head on the floor when she was frustrated.

— Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of banging

Verb

Record spending The lack of a quorum is colliding with the most expensive election on record.

— Gabe Kaminsky, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
New research linking mouth bacteria to inflammation, cognition and longevity is colliding with prebiotic formulas and portable formats reshaping a $55 billion industry.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of colliding

Verb

Donalds’ speech ran the gamut of Republican campaign points, from slamming COVID lockdowns to border crossings.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
On the same day, HHS senior adviser Calley Means doubled down on the claim, posting on X that Kennedy is doing so well that Democratic operatives are slamming the FDA for doing its job by conducting food recalls.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

But of the leaders of those three mega-bands, perhaps the most mysterious remains Pete Townshend, The Who’s songwriter and enigmatic eminence, thrashing chords and smashing guitars while Roger Daltrey handled lead vocals.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026
How would Flock stop someone from smashing a car window in the dead of night on a street where no camera is watching?

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of smashing

Verb

But Doral business owners and residents report federal agents are carrying out immigration arrests, sparking fear among neighbors and crashing business activity in the city, home to one the largest Venezuelan communities in the country.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Thiero started the summer moving too quickly through games, crashing into the lane and flying recklessly toward the rim.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of crashing

Verb

For the hearing impaired, select rooms feature visual fire alarms plus signals for telephone ringing and door knocking.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Political handicapping has a way of knocking people down a couple of notches.

— Nathan Gonzales CQ-Roll Call, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

Demolishing universities, assaulting the press, violently resegregating the public sphere, ramming degenerative AI down our throats, incarcerating mere zine makers, the regime is systematically repealing the right to culture.

— Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Martinez’s case has been one of the highest-profile examples of federal authorities accusing civilians of ramming into vehicles driven by immigration agents.

— Daniella Silva, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of ramming

Verb

The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Last year in Arizona, a motorcyclist was fatally injured after hitting a Waymo and being flung into the road.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of hitting

Browse Nearby Words

bumpers

bumping

bumping into

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“Bumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bumping. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bumping

verb

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