1
: a brimming cup or glass
2
: something unusually large
1
: unusually large
a bumper crop
2
1
: a device for absorbing shock or preventing damage (as in collision)
specifically
: a bar at either end of an automobile
2
: one that bumps
3
: a brief interval on radio or television filled with music, video shots, or voice-overs that marks a break between a program and a commercial
Examples of bumper in a Sentence
Adjective
We had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year.
it's been a bumper year for movies aimed at intelligent adults
Noun (2)
cars have bumpers to protect them from damage in minor collisions
Recent Examples on the Web
James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
With it, Jeep has taken a four-door Rubicon and chopped off the back half of the cabin to make the bed even bigger and added several pieces of custom hardware, including new front bumper and a roll bar with a four-light array.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2025
Also in the bumper SmartThings update are periodic automation triggers (think weekly, monthly, yearly), voice broadcasts over smart speakers, and deeper health integration.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Each Joy-Con 2 has an analog stick, four face buttons, a bumper and trigger pair, two shoulder buttons on the rail connecting to the tablet, a plus or minus button, and a home or capture button.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bumper
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Noun
O’Neill Clubs are usually hesitant in handing out bumper contracts to attackers on the wrong side of thirty, and with good reason.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
With it, Jeep has taken a four-door Rubicon and chopped off the back half of the cabin to make the bed even bigger and added several pieces of custom hardware, including new front bumper and a roll bar with a four-light array.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2025
Also in the bumper SmartThings update are periodic automation triggers (think weekly, monthly, yearly), voice broadcasts over smart speakers, and deeper health integration.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Each Joy-Con 2 has an analog stick, four face buttons, a bumper and trigger pair, two shoulder buttons on the rail connecting to the tablet, a plus or minus button, and a home or capture button.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bumper
Cite this Entry
“Bumper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bumper. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bumper
1 of 2 adjective
bum·per
ˈbəm-pər 
: unusually large or fine
a bumper crop
bumper
2 of 2 noun
bump·er
ˈbəm-pər
: a device for absorbing shock or preventing damage (as in collision)
especially
: a bar at the front or back of a motor vehicle
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