How to pronounce bump
Say it like BUHMP. Bump is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bump. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BUHMP
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bump pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BUHMPSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of bump
American and British speakers say bump in essentially the same way: /bʌmp/ in the US and /bʌmp/ in the UK.
British respelling: BUHMP.
What does bump mean?
- knock against with force or violence“My car bumped into the tree”
- come upon, as if by accident; meet with“We find this idea in Plato”“I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here”
- assign to a lower position; reduce in rank“She was demoted because she always speaks up”“He was broken down to Sergeant”
- a lump on the body caused by a blow
- something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings“the gun in his pocket made an obvious bulge”“the hump of a camel”
- an impact (as from a collision)“the bump threw him off the bicycle”
Where does bump come from?
Apparently related to Middle English bumben, bummen (“to make a hollow noise”), Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”), German Low German bumsen (“to bump, push”), German bummen (“to hum, buzz”), Icelandic bumba (“drum”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bump
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bump.
Questions about saying bump
How do you pronounce bump?
Say BUHMP. The American pronunciation is /bʌmp/. In British English it is /bʌmp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bump?
Bump is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BUHMP.
Do Americans and Brits say bump the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bʌmp/ and the British form is /bʌmp/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.