bulk 1 of 2

noun

ˈbəlk How to pronounce bulk (audio)
Definition of bulknext
1
as in majority
the largest part or quantity of something agriculture makes up the bulk of the country's economy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weight
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts the cookie lost a few crumbs, but the bulk of it remained

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in size
the total amount of measurable space or surface occupied by something due to its bulk, we were unable to get the enormous bookcase into the back seat of the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

bulk

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to increase

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in to bloat

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bulk different from other nouns like it?

The words mass and volume are common synonyms of bulk. While all three words mean "the aggregate that forms a body or unit," bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

Where would mass be a reasonable alternative to bulk?

While in some cases nearly identical to bulk, mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

When could volume be used to replace bulk?

The words volume and bulk are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

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 bulk
Noun
And for now, recent starters Sears, Vásquez, Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez — who started Friday’s game by going 2 1/3 innings on 37 pitches — have been asked to serve as opener/bulk-reliever hybrids. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 26 July 2026 It's designed around an aluminum baseplate meant to fit precisely beneath your camera without adding too much bulk, and it can be attached without additional tools. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 24 July 2026
Verb
Add shredded chicken to bulk it up further, or finish it with a dollop of sour cream, some fresh cilantro, or a bit of shredded cheese. — Martha Stewart, 15 Jan. 2026 Just bulk those puppies out, stop wasting your time. — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bulk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bulk
  1. majority
  2. weight
  3. size
  4. increase
  5. bloat
  6. body
  7. dimension
  8. inflate
Noun
  • The majority of avalanche deaths however are due to asphyxiation, not trauma.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • And the unprotected are more often poor and majority-minority communities.
    — Michael Phillis, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of majority
Noun
  • The leading open-weight AI models are closing the gap on the frontier in cyber capabilities, an analysis found.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The shop retained and restored the frame, 3D scanned it, and crafted a specialty battery to fit, keeping weight and balance in mind.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of weight
Noun
  • And yet while some clubs of a similar size were happy to keep selling players to re-invest, Tottenham generally only did so with first-team players in very specific circumstances.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Leathers said the fourth thing to check for is that the boat has the appropriate number of life jackets and sizes for the passengers on board.
    — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of size
Verb
  • Corporate America has dramatically increased investment in women's sports over the past several years as leagues such as the WNBA and the National Women's Soccer League continue posting record attendance and television ratings.
    — Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Houthis’ allies The Houthis are backed by Iran, which began increasing its aid to the group in 2014 as the civil war escalated and as its rivalry with Saudi Arabia intensified.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • This works for simple queries, but as the data grows and tasks get more complex, context starts to bloat and quality quietly drops.
    — Chhaya Methani, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • After that, Southam struggled with frequent urination, pain, and bloating.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Definition of bloat
Noun
  • Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • North and Central America and Caribbean governing body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have both criticized the FIFA president and rejected the plan.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of body
Noun
  • The case that American leadership in this technology carries a genuine security dimension has never looked stupid to me.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • It should be reframed as a key dimension of retention strategy—and treated as such.
    — Ravin Jesuthasan, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of dimension
Verb
  • Apple remains tethered to a September launch cadence because altering the timeline would destabilize TSMC silicon allocations, inflate pre-holiday cargo shipping costs, and disrupt carrier contract renewal cycles.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • According to Lu, Bo became increasingly suspicious that Wang, the project manager, had stolen from him by inflating construction costs.
    — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of inflate

Phrases Containing bulk

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bulging
bulk
bulked
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Cite this Entry

“Bulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bulk. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bulk

Nglish: Translation of bulk for Spanish Speakers

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