Synonyms

speed bump

American

noun

a rounded ridge built crosswise into the pavement of a road or driveway to force vehicles to slow down.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

speed bumps

plural

Etymology

Origin of speed bump

First recorded in 1970–75

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:

speed bump

The team hit a speed bump with the Blair House’s front porch spindles, which had been removed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Yamal isn’t the first teenager to hit a speed bump after taking the fast track into his national team.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Or are they just another speed bump on the way to peace?

From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2026

U.S. stocks hit some turbulence in June, and that seemed to carry over into early July, as a powerful momentum trade centered on semiconductor stocks hit a speed bump.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

X-Ray said as they bounced over a speed bump.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023