bumpy
Americanadjective
-
bumpier,
comparative
-
bumpiest
superlative
-
of uneven surface; full of bumps.
a bumpy road.
-
full of jolts.
a bumpy ride.
-
causing jolts.
Bumpy air shook the airplane.
-
having many difficulties or failures; full of ups and downs.
He had a rather bumpy career before he settled down in his present job.
adjective
-
having an uneven surface
a bumpy road
-
full of jolts; rough
a bumpy flight
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of bumpy
Explanation
Bumpy means not smooth, as in covered in lumps and bumps, like a bumpy path that makes your car bounce, or a bumpy road to getting your parents to lend you the car. Anything covered in bumps is bumpy, whether it’s a road, the skin of a toad, or the surface of the birthday cake you made for your brother. It can also describe a ride full of unexpected jolts and bumps: "It was a bumpy journey along the mountain passes in her Jeep." Figuratively, bumpy can also describe a difficult process: "What a bumpy ride that was, getting my visa to travel to China!"
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.
See Examples For:
Still, he warned the road ahead would be "bumpy".
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Hopefully this bumpy season — his first as a Dodger to end short of the championship following the 2024 and 2025 title runs — will make Ohtani better.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Whether it gets there or not, the ride will likely be a bumpy one.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2026
After a bumpy drive into the woodland, Pete launches a thermal drone into the early morning sky.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Father sways as the wagon rolls over bumpy ground.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
For her, the AI buildout isn’t over, just bumpier.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
As our reporting shows, investors are preparing for a bumpier stretch after a solid run powered by booming corporate profits and tech gains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
It’s time to prepare your retirement portfolio for a bumpier ride.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
"The bumpier, irregular surface of the virulent strains exposes parts of the virus that are normally hidden, allowing certain antibodies to attach more easily," Dr. Bibby said.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2025
This ride was much noisier, bumpier, and windier.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
This latest one, on the welfare state, comes after Sir Keir Starmer has endured his bumpiest days yet in Downing Street.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
Now, he couldn’t apologize enough for his latest misstep in what’s become the bumpiest jump to the NFL ever attempted by a college coaching great.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 5, 2021
Now, he couldn't apologize enough for his latest misstep in what's become the bumpiest jump to the NFL ever attempted by a college coaching great.
From Fox News ● Oct. 5, 2021
In short, despite the improving public health situation, some investors now expect the final three months of 2021 to be the bumpiest since the pandemic crashed the market in early 2020.
From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2021
It was like being on the bumpiest, scariest roller-coaster ride!
From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
