1
: a rounded protuberance: such as
a
b
: a fleshy protuberance on the back of an animal (such as a camel, bison, or whale)
2
British
: a fit of depression or sulking
3
: a difficult, trying, or critical phase or obstacle
—often used in the phrase over the hump
humped; humping; humps
1
usually vulgar
: to copulate with
2
: to exert (oneself) vigorously
3
: to make humpbacked : hunch
Examples of hump in a Sentence
Noun
failing her A-levels has certainly given her the hump
a cloud-capped hump straddles the border separating the two countries
Verb
the farmers had to really hump to get the harvest in before the rains
the boat was really humping before the motor started to sputter all of a sudden
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2025
The 6-foot-4 UCLA product has regressed athletically this season, but was an imperative, galvanizing force that helped take Boston over the championship hump last season.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
At that speed, cavitation beneath the water begins to slow down any hull, and with no motor to push it through, the hull design is critical for moving beyond that hump.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2025
This bear had a broad head, a hump on its back and silvertip fur.
—Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hump
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Noun
With two foot-long horns protruding from either side of their heads, a large hump resting on their shoulders and folds of loose skin drooping from their neck, these aren’t your typical black-and-white milk carton dairy cows.
—Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2025
The 6-foot-4 UCLA product has regressed athletically this season, but was an imperative, galvanizing force that helped take Boston over the championship hump last season.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
At that speed, cavitation beneath the water begins to slow down any hull, and with no motor to push it through, the hull design is critical for moving beyond that hump.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2025
This bear had a broad head, a hump on its back and silvertip fur.
—Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hump
Cite this Entry
“Hump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hump. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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