bummer

1 of 2

noun (1)

bum·​mer ˈbə-mər How to pronounce bummer (audio)
Synonyms of bummernext
: one that bums

bummer

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
a
: an unpleasant experience
specifically : a bad reaction to a hallucinogenic drug
b
: something that is unpleasant or disappointing
You can't go? What a bummer!
2
: failure, flop

Synonyms of bummer

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Noun (1)

Noun (2)

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Examples of bummer in a Sentence

Noun (1) boy, breaking your leg right before vacation is a bummer the cancellation of the holiday office party was a total bummer that new start-up company proved to be a real bummer Noun (2) a lifelong bummer, he never knew the satisfaction of having to work for a living
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
That was one of my biggest takeaways — and bummers — from my conversation with Chris Barker, an epidemiology professor at UC Davis who has studied mosquitoes for almost 30 years, including at his lab. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026 Instead, here on the show, Freddie Fox’s Gwayne Hightower stops him from making said move, which is a bit of a bummer. — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 The only bummer is the Pocketbyte is still very much in the works. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026 If a team wins, their GM must be smarter than everyone else because the idea that everyone is basically rolling the same dice and flipping the same coins and some guys are just getting luckier on the results is kind of a bummer. — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bummer

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably modification of German Bummler loafer, from bummeln to dangle, loaf

Noun (2)

bum entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1855, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bummer was in 1855

Rhymes for bummer

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Browse Nearby Words

bummel
bummer
bummler
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Cite this Entry

“Bummer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bummer. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bummer

noun
bum·​mer
ˈbəm-ər
1
: an unpleasant experience, event, or situation
2
: something that fails : flop
Etymology

Noun

2bum

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Nglish: Translation of bummer for Spanish Speakers

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