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Definitions

bum

[buhm] / bʌm /




VERB
to borrow, mooch
Synonyms


ADJECTIVE
fake, misleading, disappointing
Synonyms


ADJECTIVE
injured, impaired
Synonyms


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:

Along the breezy streets, you’ll find a tale of two eras: the town’s surf bum past and its glitzy present.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 31, 2026

When he substitutes a pitcher or a hitter and it works out, Dave is a hero, and when it doesn’t work out, Dave is a bum.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 4, 2026

It's squeaky bum time in the Premier League title race.

From BBC Apr. 16, 2026

Advancements that seek to end the friction of reality — the freak occurrences, edge cases and bum luck of a given day — ultimately sap the world of excitement and color.

From Salon Apr. 13, 2026

“I guess so. And they almost roasted me when they did. They were doing a huge bum that got out of control.”

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Pondering the potential heat death of humanity is a bummer of a way to start the week, I know.

From Slate Sep. 14, 2026

That’s a bummer for the engineers developing humanoids with miraculous applications, like autonomous disaster-response bots.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 3, 2026

“It’s a bummer because he has made a lot of strides,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 7-6 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday, which extended the Dodgers’ season-high losing streak to six games.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 5, 2026

She detects a generalized funk poisoning our existence and asks, not unreasonably, “What is with this bummer veil cast over everything fun or exciting?”

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 30, 2026

It was kind of a bummer, but I knew I was getting heavier and heavier to lift, and so changing me was harder.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

Say," he cried, "Snake's Fall is just the bummest location this side of the Sahara on a Sunday.

From The Son of his Father by Ridgwell Cullum

A new drug called apitegromab could help people on obesity jabs avoid unwanted muscle decline that's been linked to flat bums or "Ozempic butt", according to research in Nature Medicine journal.

From BBC Jun. 8, 2026

Beforehand, Salfordian frontman Shaun Ryder told BBC News it was "brilliant that those lazy bastards from London have decided to get off their bums and come up north for an hour or two".

From BBC Mar. 24, 2026

I tried to get into the gym and, I don’t know, something about the gym environment really bums me out.

From Los Angeles Times Dec. 12, 2025

But then, the bon ton, not content with padding only bums, moved the bustle round to the tummy at the front.

From Slate Jul. 21, 2025

Anyone would know that she couldn’t, and I think that even Mrs. Baker knew it wasn’t right to blame me entirely when four of Mrs. Sidman’s remaining seven healthy fingers got bums on the ends.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

“I’m both envious,” she said, “and a bit bummed out.”

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 10, 2026

“In the office, we actually get really bummed when we realize we’re having a conversation and we forgot to turn on Granola,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 17, 2026

Bowen Yang is in a huge number of commercials these days, and every time I see him, I get a little more bummed out.

From Slate Feb. 8, 2026

While I’m bummed about the Rams’ finish, here’s to 2025-26, the best NFL season in recent memory.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 31, 2026

But I got even more bummed when Mom told me that Isabel had asked her if she would be able to drop Via off at the other birthday party before going to my party.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

We had this life that was mainly just bumming around on your bike and drinking coffee.

From BBC Jul. 31, 2023

Her family life was volatile, though, and she left home at 15 or so, bumming around the Bay Area.

From New York Times May 17, 2023

The NFL has squeezed its overtime period from 15 minutes to 10, bumming out some.

From Washington Post Oct. 28, 2021

Nobody, in fact, has ever come to the Washington State Committee on Geographic Names requesting a place-name change simply because the current one was bumming them out, says Caleb Maki, the group’s executive secretary.

From Seattle Times Nov. 14, 2020

I thought maybe I might stop in a phone booth and give old Jane Gallagher a buzz before I started bumming my way west, but I wasn't in the mood.

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger




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