speed bump

noun

: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed

Examples of speed bump in a Sentence

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.
Losing that game and getting blown out 7-1 on the road by New Jersey on Thursday night were speed bumps along the way for a team that has won six of its first nine games. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 The rebuttal, though methodical and logical, was little more than a momentary speed bump for the runaway popularity of the psychedelic bread story. — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026 Spirit’s efforts to sell tranches of data to Google for $10 million hit several speed bumps after getting public attention in August. — Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 Martin notes that the speed bump Skydance hit in the approval process — the antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states — cost them probably another $500 million in higher interest fees on short-term debt as rates have inched up. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speed bump

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speed bump was in 1972

Rhymes for speed bump

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Browse Nearby Words

speed box
speed bump
speed change lane
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speed bump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed%20bump. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

speed bump

noun
: a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed
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