bulky

adjective \ ˈbəl-kē also ˈbu̇l- \

Updated on: 16 Nov 2017

Definition of bulky

bulkier; bulkiest

1 a : having bulk

b (1) : large of its kind

(2) : corpulent

2 : having great volume in proportion to weight

a bulky knit sweater

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bulkily

play \-kə-lē\ adverb

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bulkiness

play \-kē-nəs\ noun

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Examples of bulky in a Sentence

a big, bulky football player
bulky packages might cost more to mail

Recent Examples of bulky from the Web

Furniture is already one of the fastest growing categories for Amazon.com Inc., and the e-commerce giant is adding warehouses and logistics operations for bulky items to reach further into consumers’ homes.

— paul page, WSJ, "Today’s Top Supply Chain and Logistics News From WSJ," 11 Oct. 2017
First, the speaker is about half the size of its rather bulkier forebear.

— darren orf, Popular Mechanics, "Echo Plus to Big Mouth Bass: Everything Amazon Announced Today," 27 Sep. 2017
The city's 2016 contract with Lakeshore Recycling Systems allows residents to place one bulky item — such as a mattress or table — at the curb each week at no additional charge.

— karen berkowitz, chicagotribune.com, "Spring Clean-Up won't disappear in '18," 18 Sep. 2017
Like when her bulky prosthesis didn't fit into skinny jeans.

— marc lester, Alaska Dispatch News, "East High student dances past her differences," 18 Oct. 2017
But Chromebooks are bulky, short on processing power, have limited storage, and are incompatible with Google’s new Pixelbook stylus pen for drawing digital images on touchscreens.

— jonathan vanian, Fortune, "Google Wants Its New Pixelbook to Win the Laptop and Tablet Battle," 4 Oct. 2017
Always intrigued by new technology — and the power of the media — eagle-eyed Castro takes a keen interest in this lively, friendly American visitor toting somewhat bulky (but at the time truly cutting edge) recording devices.

— neil young, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Cuba and the Cameraman': Film Review | Venice 2017," 17 Sep. 2017
In the 1980s, when cell phones were bulky, expensive, and had a short battery life, experts predicted that by 2000 the industry might sell 900,000 units a year.

— National Geographic, "Electric Cars May Rule the World’s Roads by 2040," 13 Sep. 2017
Toss a sweater over the dress (belt bulkier knits for a flattering fit) and throw on some knee socks and leather boots.

— elizabeth denton, Seventeen, "The Genius Trick Style Bloggers Use to Look Like They Never Wear the Same Thing Twice," 17 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bulky.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.