A clump is a thick cluster of things grouped closely together. You might see clumps of grass growing in a field, clumps of dirt stuck to your shoes after playing outside, or clumps of hair clogging a drain. The word suggests things bunched up more densely than their surroundings.

As a verb, to clump means to form these thick clusters. Flour sometimes clumps together when it gets damp. Paint can clump if you don't stir it properly. Snow clumps into snowballs when it's the perfect temperature.

The word can also describe a heavy, awkward way of walking. Someone wearing oversized boots might clump down the stairs with loud, plodding footsteps. Imagine the sound: clump, clump, clump. The word itself sounds like what it describes.

Notice how clump differs from similar words: a pile suggests things stacked on top of each other, while a clump means things pressed or stuck together in a mass. A bunch can be loose and spread out, but a clump is compact and dense. When your shoelaces get tangled into a stubborn knot, or wet cereal sticks together in your bowl, you're dealing with clumps.