bulge
1 Americannoun
-
a rounded projection, bend, or protruding part; protuberance; hump.
a bulge in a wall.
-
any sudden increase, as of numbers, sales, or prices.
the bulge in profits.
-
a rising in small waves on the surface of a body of water, caused by the action of a fish or fishes in pursuit of food underwater.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
-
a swelling or an outward curve
-
a sudden increase in number or volume, esp of population
-
another name for baby boom
-
the projecting part of an army's front line; salient
verb
noun
Pronunciation
See bulk 1.
Other Word Forms
- bulginess noun
- bulging adjective
- bulgingly adverb
- bulgy adjective
- outbulge verb
Etymology
Origin of bulge
1200–50; Middle English: bag, hump < Old French < Latin bulga bag < Celtic; compare Irish bolg bag
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.
“Maybe we take a break from spending the night at Taylor’s,” he said, as several veins bulged out of his forehead.
It was monstrously tall and covered with endless bumps and bulges from top to bottom.
From Literature
With my pockets bulging with ammunition, I climbed out of the washout and ran back to the sycamore tree.
From Literature
But when I reached the front of the line, he simply looked down at me over his bulging belly and said, “No gold, no food.”
From Literature
Jonah could see bulging muscles where Gary had pushed up his sweatshirt sleeves.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
