Bump

What does Bump mean?

Message bump in a forum post

If you’re hanging out on a forum and notice a thread that hasn’t had any action for some time, you might see someone post the word “Bump”. This isn’t a random typo or a weird internet hiccup; it’s a purposeful action to bring attention back to the thread.

When a user types “Bump” on a thread, the thread gets moved to the top of the list of active threads on the forum. This is like giving the thread a second chance to catch people’s attention and get the conversation started again. So, the term “Bump” is basically a tool used to revive inactive or ignored threads.

It’s particularly handy when a question has been asked but hasn’t received any responses. By posting a “Bump” message, the original asker is trying to get their question back in the spotlight in the hopes of finally getting an answer. So, the next time you see a “Bump” in a forum, you now know it’s a clever tactic to restart a conversation or get a question answered.

Example for using ‘Bump’ in a conversation

Hey, do you know how to fix a cracked phone screen?

I’m not sure, let me Google it for you.

Thanks, but I couldn’t find any helpful solutions.

Hmm, maybe you should bump your post on that tech forum you joined.