bunch up

bunch up — phrasal verb

  • bunch upbase form
  • bunches up3rd person singular
  • bunching up-ing form
  • bunched uppast simple

1. when a group of people, animals, or objects move towards each other so that they

1.phrasal verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

when a group of people, animals, or objects move towards each other so that they form a tight cluster; or to arrange something into a gathered or wrinkled shape by pulling or folding it

Example

Nora and Folake bunched up at the front of the queue when the doors opened.

intransitive: people move together

James bunched up the newspaper pages and tossed them into the recycling bin.

transitive: bunch + object + up (separable)

Common collocations
  • bunch up in/into a group
  • bunch up near/around/by something
  • bunch up at the front/back/entrance
  • bunch something up in your hand/fist
Synonyms
  • huddle

    suggests people pressing together for warmth, protection, or to share information — 'bunch up' is more about physical closeness without the warmth/protection sense

  • cluster

    often implies forming a round or natural group; 'bunch up' feels more casual and describes the action of moving together

  • crowd together

    suggests many people in a small space, often uncomfortably; 'bunch up' works for small groups too

Antonyms
  • spread out

    direct opposite — to move apart from each other rather than gathering

  • scatter

    implies moving away in different directions, the opposite of gathering together

Grammar Patterns

people/things + bunch + up (intransitive)

bunch + [noun/pronoun] + up (transitive, separable)

Usage Note

The object can go between 'bunch' and 'up' (bunch the papers up) or after 'up' (bunch up the papers). When the object is a pronoun, it must go between: bunch them up, NOT bunch up them.

Common Mistakes

The students bunched up together in the hallway.
The students bunched up in the hallway.
'together' is redundant because 'bunch up' already implies closeness.

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/1

'Bunch up', 'huddle', 'cluster', 'crowd together', and 'bundle up' all describe forms of gathering, but they differ in feel and use. 'Bunch up' is the most neutral and versatile — it works for people, animals, and objects moving into a tight group. 'Huddle' adds warmth and purpose: people huddle for protection from cold or to discuss something privately. 'Cluster' suggests a round, decorative, or natural arrangement, often of things that belong together (flowers cluster; stars cluster). 'Crowd together' emphasises limited space and usually describes many people packed in. 'Bundle up' is very different — it means to dress warmly or to tie things into a bundle, not to form a group. For example: 'The students bunched up at the door when the bell rang' (neutral) vs. 'The players huddled to plan their next move' (purposeful) vs. 'The daffodils clustered around the old tree' (natural arrangement).

huddle ↗cluster ↗crowd togetherbundle up ↗

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Bunch up' comes from 'bunch' (a cluster of things tied or growing together, from Old French 'bonge' meaning bundle) combined with the adverb 'up', which adds a sense of completion or bringing together. The phrasal verb has been used since the 1800s to describe people or objects gathering into a tight group.