bunch
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to gather into a cluster; gather together.
-
(of fabric or clothing) to gather into folds (often followed byup ).
noun
-
a number of things growing, fastened, or grouped together
a bunch of grapes
a bunch of keys
-
a collection; group
a bunch of queries
-
informal a group or company
a bunch of boys
-
archaic a protuberance
verb
Usage
What is a basic definition of bunch? A bunch is a group of things. Bunch can also specifically mean a group that is connected together. Used informally, a bunch is a group of people. As a verb, bunch means to gather into a group. A bunch is a collection or group of items gathered into one place. If you have a bunch of papers on your desk, for example, you have many papers on your desk.
- Used in a sentence: Angela was happy to see that there were a bunch of presents under the Christmas tree.
- Real-life examples: You might eat from a bunch of grapes and be left with just the stem. A maintenance person usually carries a bunch of keys on a ring.
- Used in a sentence: I bought a small bunch of bananas.
- Used in a sentence: A bunch of kids ran past us to watch the clown perform magic tricks.
- Used in a sentence: I bunched all of the wrapping paper into a ball and threw it in the trash.
Synonym Usage
See bundle.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have bunchedperfect
-
has bunchedperfect 3rd person singular
-
has been bunchingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
am bunchingprogressive 1st person singular
-
have been bunchingperfect progressive
-
is bunchingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
are bunchingprogressive
-
bunchingparticiple
-
bunchessingular 3rd person
Past
-
had bunchedperfect
-
had been bunchingperfect progressive
-
was bunchingprogressive singular
-
were bunchingprogressive plural
-
bunchedparticiple
-
bunchedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of bunch
1275–1325; Middle English bunche; of uncertain origin
Explanation
A group or cluster of something is a bunch. It could be a bunch of people or a bunch of grapes. If you pick a bunch of bananas, you might end up being followed by a bunch of monkeys. When you use the word bunch, you're generally talking about an approximate number of similar items, like a bunch of flowers or a bunch of cats or a bunch of your friends meeting for dinner. The verb bunch means "gather together," or "form into a bunch," the way you might bunch daisies together in a vase, or your socks might bunch down inside your boots.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We’re a bunch of nerds who write an encyclopedia as a hobby,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
“This removes a bunch of uncertainty” about whether proposed projects will get approved, said Chief Executive Sean Burton of Cityview, one of the largest apartment developers in the state.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Instead, the black shiny faceless Phantom robot is engaged in "free play", manipulating a bunch of coloured kids blocks.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
The smallest of the bunch, LGI Homes, has a $1.1 billion market capitalization and is trading at 0.5 times book value.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
She filled her bottles from the waterfall, cut off a bunch of bananas, picked some strawberries, and rode back down the hill.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.