Bunch
noun/verbBase bunch · Past bunched · Past Participle bunched · Present Participle bunching · 3rd person bunches
Definition
1. (noun) A group of things that grow together, are tied together, or are held together — like flowers, grapes, or keys.
2. (noun) An informal way to say "a group of people" or "a lot of something."
2. (noun) An informal way to say "a group of people" or "a lot of something."
Context Alive
Your friend's birthday is tomorrow and you completely forgot about it. After work, you stop at the flower shop near the station and ask for a nice bunch of roses. The woman picks out twelve and wraps them in brown paper with a ribbon. They look simple but really beautiful. You carry them carefully on the bus, feeling relieved that you found something last minute.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 A Group of Things Together (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about a group of similar things that are physically connected — growing together, tied together, or attached. Imagine you're at a fruit market and you see grapes hanging from a hook — each cluster is a bunch of grapes, with all the small fruits attached to one stem. This is describing things that form a natural or tied-together group. You might say "I bought a bunch of flowers for my mum" when you picked up a wrapped set of flowers, or someone could say "he pulled out a bunch of keys" to describe several keys on one ring. Or picture someone at the supermarket picking up a bunch of bananas from the shelf — five or six bananas all connected at the top. The word suggests the items belong together as one unit.
✏️ Bunch is the go-to word for flowers, grapes, bananas, and keys in everyday English. You buy "a bunch of flowers" — not "a group of flowers" or "a set of flowers." For grapes and bananas specifically, bunch is the only natural word to describe the cluster you see in a shop.
2 A Group of People or a Lot of Something (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about using bunch informally to mean "a group" or "a lot." Imagine you're telling a friend about your weekend — you went out with a bunch of friends to a new restaurant and had a great time. This is a relaxed, casual way to describe a group without being specific about the number. You might say "I have a bunch of things to do today" when your to-do list is long, or someone could say "they're a nice bunch" to describe a friendly group of colleagues. Or think about someone cleaning their room and finding a whole bunch of old photos they forgot about — scattered in a drawer. The word suggests a casual, approximate quantity — it's not precise and it doesn't need to be.
✏️ A bunch of is one of the most common informal phrases in spoken English. It works for people, things, and even abstract ideas: "a bunch of problems," "a bunch of nonsense." In American English especially, it often replaces "a lot of" in casual speech. Notice it's always "a bunch of" — never just "bunch" when describing quantity.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
a bunch of + noun → the most common pattern — works for physical groups and informal quantities
She brought a bunch of flowers to the dinner party.
a whole bunch of + noun → emphasises a large amount — adds more weight to the quantity
There are a whole bunch of reasons why this plan won't work.
in a bunch / in bunches → grouped closely together in one place
The grapes grow in bunches on the vine.
Describing Groups
a nice / good bunch → a friendly or pleasant group of people
My new colleagues are a really nice bunch.
the best of the bunch → the best one from a group of people or things
I tried all five desserts and the cheesecake was the best of the bunch.
bunch up / bunch together → to move closer together into a tight group
The runners bunched up at the narrow turn.
Collocations
10 collocationsa bunch of flowers
a group of flowers tied or wrapped together
a bunch of grapes
a cluster of grapes attached to one stem
a bunch of bananas
several bananas connected together at the top
a bunch of keys
several keys held together on one ring
a bunch of friends
a casual group of friends
a bunch of stuff
an informal way to say a lot of things
a whole bunch
a large number or amount of something
a nice bunch
a friendly, pleasant group of people
a mixed bunch
a group of people or things that are all different from each other
bunch together
to gather closely in one spot
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
She picked up a bunch of bananas and put them in her shopping basket.
She grabbed a cluster of bananas and dropped them into her basket.
2
A bunch of us went to the cinema last night — it was a really fun evening.
A group of us saw a movie yesterday evening and had a great time.
3
He gave her a bunch of flowers on their anniversary and she loved them.
He brought her a bouquet of flowers for their anniversary and she was thrilled.
4
I have a whole bunch of emails to reply to before the end of the day.
I have loads of emails I need to respond to before today is over.
5
The keys were on a bunch hanging from a hook by the front door.
The keys were on a ring dangling from a hook near the entrance.
6
We met a bunch of really nice people at the party on Saturday.
We came across a group of very friendly people at the weekend party.
7
She grabbed a bunch of grapes from the fruit bowl and took them to her room.
She took a cluster of grapes from the fruit bowl and carried them upstairs.
8
There's a whole bunch of things I want to tell you about my trip.
There's a lot of stuff I want to share with you about my holiday.
9
He's the nicest of the bunch — everyone else on the team is quite cold.
He's the friendliest of the group — the rest of the team is rather distant.
10
Thanks a bunch for leaving me to clean up the entire kitchen by myself.
Thanks so much for making me tidy the whole kitchen on my own.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
4 items Phrasal Verbsbunch up — To move closer together into a tight group, or for fabric/clothing to gather and become wrinkled.
The crowd bunched up near the entrance because only one door was open.
bunch together — To form a close group in one place, often for safety or comfort.
The sheep bunched together in the corner when the dog started barking.
Idioms & Expressionsthanks a bunch — Used sarcastically to show you are annoyed, not grateful — the opposite of a real thank you.
You told everyone my secret? Thanks a bunch.
the pick of the bunch — The best one from a group of people or things.
All the candidates were strong, but Mia was the pick of the bunch.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsgroup
more neutral and slightly more formal — works in any context
cluster
used for things physically close together — more precise and technical
load
equally informal — "a load of stuff" means the same as "a bunch of stuff"
Antonymsindividual
a single separate item, not part of a group
scattering
a small number spread far apart — the opposite of grouped together
few
a small quantity — contrasts with "a whole bunch" meaning a lot