bulge

1 of 2

verb

ˈbəlj 

 also  ˈbu̇lj

bulged; bulging; bulges

intransitive verb

1

a

: to jut out : swell

b

: to become swollen or protuberant

… a pair of arresting pale blue eyes that tend to bulge maniacally …

—Jeremy Egner

c

: to bend outward

prevent the brick wall from bulging

2

: to be filled to overflowing

a notebook that bulged with ideas

3

archaic : bilge

transitive verb

: to cause to bulge

bulge

2 of 2

noun

plural bulges

1

: a protuberant or swollen part or place

a bulge in the wall

trying to get rid of the bulge around his middle

2

: sudden expansion

a population bulge

3

: advantage, upper hand

letting them get the bulge on you

4

a

: bilge sense 1

the bulge of a barrel

b

nautical : bilge sense 2

bulgy

ˈbəl-jē 

 also  ˈbu̇l-

adjective

Synonyms

Verb

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pooch [chiefly dialect]
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• stick out
• swell

Noun

• bunch
• convexity
• jut
• overhang
• projection
• protrusion
• protuberance
• swell

Choose the Right Synonym for bulge

projection, protrusion, protuberance, bulge mean an extension beyond the normal line or surface.

projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

Examples of bulge in a Sentence

Verb

His face turned white and his eyes bulged.

middle-aged people bulging at the waist

Their bags bulged with books and papers.

The squirrel's cheeks were bulging with nuts.

a notebook bulging with ideas

Noun

“What's in there?” he asked, pointing to the large bulge in my purse.

I'm exercising to get rid of this bulge around my middle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

My friends were confused by my abrupt stop and the frightened and befuddled look on my face — except for one, whose eyes were also bulging wide. —Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024

Prior to stepping out into space, Gillis reported seeing seals around the hatch that appear to be bulging. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 12 Sep. 2024

Noun

Trump surged back beginning early last month, and by October 26 had built an advantage that almost equalled Harris’ bulge five weeks earlier. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024

Hours later, an Antioch officer on patrol noticed a man with a distinctive bulge in his pants that appeared to be a firearm. —Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bolgen

Noun

Middle English boulge, bouge leather bag, curved part, from Anglo-French bouge bag — more at budget

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 4b

Kids Definition

bulge

1 of 2 verb

ˈbəlj 

bulged; bulging

1

: to swell, curve outward, or stick out

bulging eyes

2

: to be filled to overflowing

a bulging notebook

bulge

2 of 2 noun

: a part that swells or sticks out

Etymology

Noun

from early French boulge, bouge "leather bag," from Latin bulga "leather bag" — related to budget