1
: a group of things clustered together
a clump of bushes
2
: a compact mass
3
: a heavy tramping sound
clumped; clumping; clumps
: to arrange in or cause to form clumps
Synonyms
Examples of clump in a Sentence
Noun
There is a clump of bushes at the edge of the field.
I could hear the clump of his footsteps as he came down the stairs.
Verb
The virus clumps the cells together.
a child clumping around the house in her father's oversized boots
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024
Research suggests that their main source of food is colonies of bacteria including cyanobacteria and other microbes that live on rock surfaces, often alongside more visible clumps of seaweed.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024
Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 7 Oct. 2024
This action also prevents the protein from clumping and causing red blood cells to lose their shape.
—Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clump 
Noun
Somerville wondered whether all high-redshift galaxies are made of dense clumps like those grapes, and why computer simulations of galaxy formation are not reproducing those structures.
—Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024
Research suggests that their main source of food is colonies of bacteria including cyanobacteria and other microbes that live on rock surfaces, often alongside more visible clumps of seaweed.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
Smaller particles can clump closer together, creating a larger surface area for extraction and releasing more of the caffeine.
—Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 7 Oct. 2024
This action also prevents the protein from clumping and causing red blood cells to lose their shape.
—Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clump
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clump.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near clump
Cite this Entry
“Clump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clump. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
clump
1 of 2 noun
: a clustered mass of particles (as bacteria or blood cells) compare agglutination
clump
2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to form clumps
: to arrange in or cause to form clumps
the serum clumps the bacteria
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