lumpy

American  

[luhm-pee] / ˈlʌm pi /

adjective

lumpier, lumpiest

1. full of lumps: lump.

   lumpy gravy.

2. covered with lumps, lump, as a surface.

3. heavy or clumsy, as in movement or style; crude.

   a lumpy gait; a lumpy narrative.

4. (of water) rough or choppy.

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lumpy British  

/ ˈlʌmpɪ /

adjective

1. full of or having lumps

2. (esp of the sea) rough

3. (of a person) heavy or bulky

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Other Word Forms

• lumpily adverb
• lumpiness noun
• unlumpy adjective

Etymology

Origin of lumpy

First recorded in 1700–10; lump ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

There are always broad themes that investors react to over the short term, and the stock market’s performance should be expected to be lumpy.

From MarketWatch

This can strip away the effects of shorter-term moves in asset values, as well as the lumpy process of selling down past investments to harvest gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even before the pandemic, bottled water had overtaken External link soda as the nation’s most popular beverage by volume after years External link of decline for carbonated soft drinks—a category where demand remains lumpy.

From Barron's

Aircraft orders are lumpy from month to month and the planes take a few years to build.

From MarketWatch

Camille tosses around, trying to get comfortable, but the mattress is lumpy.

From Literature

Related Words

• bumpy
• chunky
• irregular