1
as in chunks
a small uneven mass
she dumped a lump of clay on the table and started to sculpt
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2
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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3
as in tumors
an abnormal mass of tissue
advised by her doctor to examine her breasts regularly for unusual lumps
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4
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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5
as in idiots
a stupid person
gazed disgustedly at the lump her daughter had married
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6
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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1
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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2
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
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Recent Examples of lumps
Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Learning how to tell if a cheesecake is properly baked or how to mix the batter free of lumps, are lifetime skills that will prove useful in the future.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Speed rules ‘like an oxymoron’ Rory Hodgson, an attorney in East Sacramento’s Alhambra Triangle, tried unsuccessfully to get speed lumps on T Street.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 21 Dec. 2025
The variety of body types and shapes shown here, often covered in very little, is a reminder that despite the smoothness of the people held up as worthy of admiration on Instagram, most people’s bodies and faces have lumps and bumps and creases and crinkles.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
Vigorously stir in the flour, making sure no lumps form.
—Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Still, investors managed to find a few gifts tucked between the lumps of coal.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
He is viewed as a superb talent and a very coachable player, which leads to thinking that he will be better served by staying in Pittsburgh, working with the NHL staff and taking his lumps.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Look for swelling, rashes, visible lumps or if the nipple has been pulled in.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
Lined up next to rookie left tackle Josh Simmons and veteran center Creed Humphrey, Suamataia took some lumps in the first two preseason games before settling in for a clean sheet in the third look against the Bears.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for lumps
Noun
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Once that’s been melted to water, larger chunks of the ice slough off much more easily.—
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If large stuck-on food chunks remain, carefully scrape them off with a razor blade, being mindful not to scratch the stovetop.—
Noun
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Infection is rapid, causing swellings in the lymph nodes (buboes) and leading to septicaemia and pulmonary infection.—
Noun
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Torney was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer with recurring tumors that eat away at bone marrow, damaging bones and the immune system.—
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For example, treating slow-growing tumors with surgery, radiation or chemotherapy could create significant side effects without a survival benefit.—
Noun
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LaFleur has guided the Packers to six playoff appearances during his tenure — two NFC Championship Game appearances in 2019 and 2020, two losses in the divisional round in 2021 and 2023 and two wild-card round defeats in 2024 and 2025.—
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Conditions were only made worse by recent military defeats, crippling sanctions, corruption, and an unparalleled water crisis.—
Noun
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Can't believe that after 10 years of us basing our most damning investigations on cell phone data, these idiots are still doing it.—
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That's the deterrent for the idiots.—
Verb
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The system collects facial recognition data and only uses it to identify individuals who have been previously flagged for misconduct.—
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One of its initiatives, called Project Pick, collects extra fruit from local fruit trees and donates it to the food bank.—
Verb
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That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
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In front of me, as various motors rev up to speed, the robot shuffles in place, looking like an arthritic boxer readying for a fight.—
Noun
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Rake It Flat After clearing out the weeds and plant debris from your beds, use a rake to smooth the soil and break up any clumps of dirt.—
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People with Alzheimer’s tend to have clumps of proteins called amyloid plaques that accumulate around the brain cells.—
Cite this Entry
“Lumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lumps. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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