as in cheeks
the part of the body upon which someone sits
I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in beggars
an idle worthless person
if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoboes
a homeless wanderer who may beg or steal for a living
I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in lounges
to spend time doing nothing
spent most of the summer just bumming around the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bums
Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
Expensive trip to modern backcountry huts Backcountry skiing is no longer just for ski bums.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Feb. 2026
And, then, of course, the park was full of bums like us.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
As older leaders retire, the days of bums on seats five days a week are likely to fade with them.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
In later years, the shearling coat in its more Western iteration became a fashion statement beloved by hippies and boho ski bums, and was notably worn with great aplomb by Robert Redford in the 1969 classic Downhill Racer.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2026
With both travel and programming budgets under pressure, all markets have to make a strong case to get buyer and seller bums on seats (or, more accurately, into screening booths and meeting rooms).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Ndiaye aside, Everton have long lacked bums-off-seats kinds of players.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Ski bums share the slopes with billionaires.
—Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2024
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
The cranky and irritating backseat driver, who bums a lift midway through the Griswolds' adventure, also has with her the easily excitable pooch Dinky.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
For ski bums looking to hit the Colorado slopes without slogging through I-70 traffic, there’s no better destination than Winter Park.
—Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
Expensive trip to modern backcountry huts Backcountry skiing is no longer just for ski bums.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Feb. 2026
And, then, of course, the park was full of bums like us.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
As older leaders retire, the days of bums on seats five days a week are likely to fade with them.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
In later years, the shearling coat in its more Western iteration became a fashion statement beloved by hippies and boho ski bums, and was notably worn with great aplomb by Robert Redford in the 1969 classic Downhill Racer.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2026
With both travel and programming budgets under pressure, all markets have to make a strong case to get buyer and seller bums on seats (or, more accurately, into screening booths and meeting rooms).
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Ndiaye aside, Everton have long lacked bums-off-seats kinds of players.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Ski bums share the slopes with billionaires.
—Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
Critical thinking really bums them out.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026
The cranky and irritating backseat driver, who bums a lift midway through the Griswolds' adventure, also has with her the easily excitable pooch Dinky.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bums
Verb
-
This nifty side table chills beverages for hours while doubling as a convenient spot to set down drinks or snacks.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The current crisis in Iran has sent memories bubbling to the surface for the collective, and chills down the spines of viewers.—
Chloe Shrager,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The teeth will flash, first, before the rest of Jonah Coleman’s blue-collar frame strolls into Denver’s facility in the weeks to come.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And then, right as Joe’s already prevalent rage is on the precipice of going nuclear, a CGI giraffe nonchalantly strolls past a third-story window in the background.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Somebody who is just living greatness and never rests on that laurel, but is always pushing herself to expand as an artist.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The whole security architecture rests on those layers.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Again, Madueke plays short to Odegaard, with Havertz, White and Zubimendi moving towards the ball.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Audacity creator Jonathan Glatzer and star Billy Magnussen, who plays wealthy tech CEO Duncan Park, took the stage at Deadline Contenders TV to talk about taking the tech monster lurking in the shadows and those responsible for its existence, and turning it into a comedy.—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s because if a patient can’t pay or an insurer kicks back a claim, a small practice in a rural area can be on the hook for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Kutsenko, 31, steps outside into the freezing night, switches on a large rectangular generator and the power kicks back in.—
Kamila Hrabchuk,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What fools these non-OpenAI mortals must be.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bums. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
