bulk out

Meanings

1. 1phrasetransitive

   to make something longer or fuller, often by adding unnecessary material.

   Grammar: Takes an object; the object usually comes between bulk and out: bulk it out. It can also be used without an object in informal speech: the essay bulks out with examples.

   Patterns

   • bulk something out
   • bulk out a report
   • bulk out an essay

   He bulked out his essay with long quotations that didn't add much.

   The report was bulked out with tables and charts.

   Don't bulk out your presentation with unnecessary slides.

2. 2phrasetransitive

   to make a person or animal heavier or more muscular.

   Grammar: Takes an object; often used in passive or with a reflexive pronoun: bulk yourself out. Common in fitness and farming contexts.

   Patterns

   • bulk someone out
   • bulk yourself out
   • bulk out a team

   He bulked himself out with weight training and a high-protein diet.

   The cattle were bulked out with extra feed before winter.

   The coach wants to bulk out the players before the season starts.

Common combinations

bulk out an essay

Students sometimes bulk out an essay with irrelevant details.

bulk out a report

The manager bulked out the report with old data.

bulk out with something

The article was bulked out with photographs.

Synonyms and how they differ

pad

Pad is very close and often used for adding unnecessary words or material; bulk out can also mean making something physically larger or heavier.

fatten

Fatten usually means to make an animal or person physically fat; bulk out is broader and can refer to documents or muscles.

expand

Expand is neutral and simply means make larger; bulk out often suggests adding things of little value.

Opposites

Word family

bulk noun

The main part or largest amount of something; also size or mass.

bulky adjective

Large and difficult to move or carry.

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “bulk out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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