# bumped

/ˈbəmpt/ (US) · /bˈʌmpt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bumped
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. hit by accident

verb · CEFR A2

to hit something or someone by accident while moving.

For teachers: to strike or knock against something with a jolt, typically by accident.

- I bumped my head on the low shelf when I stood up too quickly.
- The cyclist bumped into a pedestrian on the narrow path, though fortunately neither party sustained any significant injury.

### 2. moved or removed

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to move someone to a different flight, seat, or group, often because there is no room.

For teachers: to displace or remove someone from a reserved position, often due to overbooking or priority changes.

- The airline bumped us to a later flight because the plane was full.
- Several passengers were bumped from the overbooked flight, resulting in a series of heated negotiations at the boarding gate.

### 3. not smooth

adjective · CEFR B1

having a surface that is not flat or smooth.

For teachers: characterised by the presence of bumps or uneven protrusions.

- The old road was so bumped and broken that we had to drive very slowly.
- The artisan preferred the bumped texture of the hand-hammered copper, arguing it added more character than a machine-polished finish.

## Examples

- I bumped my head on the low door.
- She bumped into an old friend while shopping at the local market.
- The car bumped along the rough road, jolting the passengers with every pothole they encountered.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.