BUMS Synonyms: 150 Similar and Opposite Words

bums 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of bum

as in cheeks

the part of the body upon which someone sits I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise

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bums

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of bum

as in beggars

an idle worthless person if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hoboes

a homeless wanderer who may beg or steal for a living I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money

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bums

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of bum

as in lounges

to spend time doing nothing spent most of the summer just bumming around the house

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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

Noun

For families Apart from the family-sized villa estates and kid-friendly menus, Nihi has a host of activities that will please even the youngest beach bums. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2026 The Coliseum stayed in business for 500 years, bums in seats twice a week, watching people hack each other to death. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 History buffs, avid hikers, music lovers, wine aficionados, and beach bums will all find a town to love in the Old Dominion. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 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

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 The only thing that bums me and Michael out is all the stuff that got cut for time. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bums

Noun

Yusef Toubassi sits with his grandson Masa, looking on as children run by with cheeks painted bright colors and others howling with joy as clowns spin them around.

— Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
When choosing a shade, think about the natural flush of your cheeks and match that.

— Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheeks

Noun

Robert Pattinson’s big outburst in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ has gone viral—here’s the ‘beggars’ meme, explained.

— Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
The War In times of peace, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) had hosted parties in their palace for all — even beggars were welcome.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026

Definition of beggars

Noun

The former, in which Burnett and Hamilton did a song-and-dance routine as Dust Bowl-era hobos, marked the first of several times that the two performed together.

— Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
From oversized, slouchy hobos to structured East-West silhouettes and laptop-ready work totes, this season’s best suede bags deliver a luxurious polish that will elevate every fall wardrobe.

— Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025

Definition of hoboes

Verb

The use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials is controversial, with critics saying the practice chills creative expression and allows prosecutors to distort hyperbolic art in ways that reinforce racist stereotypes.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026
Authorities say the case grew from overseas shipments flagged by customs, marking a third round of national security arrests that further chills Hong Kong’s already precarious independent book trade.

— Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of chills

Noun

Producer and 10 Lives founder and CEO Daniel Catullo set the stage for such a party by introducing the film and encouraging audience members to get out of their seats during the showing and record clips of the doc.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
As Jair Bolsonaro mounted a successful campaign for the presidency, Flávio Bolsonaro ran for one of Rio de Janeiro’s seats in the Federal Senate.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of seats

Noun

The scene inspired future comedy gags showing drifters and tramps losing their pants to dogs chasing them.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
Told in a lingua franca of philosophy and academic jargon, Lucky’s speech has something to do with the collapse of reason and logic, and the futility of human progress, which is ultimately what tramps Estragon (Reeves) and Vladimir (Winter) are up against, too.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025