1 B2 informal
To block or plug a hole, pipe, or drain so that nothing can pass through.
"The children had bunged up the drain in the garden with leaves and mud."
separable
bung up
B2 informal separable transitive
To block or obstruct something, especially a hole, pipe, or passage; also used for a nose blocked with mucus.
In plain English
To block up a hole or make a passage impossible to use.
What does "bung up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
(Of the nose) to become blocked with mucus due to a cold or allergy.
"I can't smell anything — my nose is completely bunged up."
inseparable
3 B2 informal
To close or seal an opening with any suitable material.
"He bunged up the gap in the wall with a piece of old cloth to stop the draught."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To push a bung (stopper/plug) upward into an opening.
Actually means
To block up a hole or make a passage impossible to use.
Usage tip
Common in British and Australian informal English. Very natural for describing a blocked nose during a cold ('My nose is all bunged up'). Can also refer to physically plugging holes or drains.
Words that pair with "bung up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
nose drain pipe hole sink pores
How to conjugate "bung up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bung up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bungs up
he/she/it
Past simple
bunged up
yesterday
Past participle
bunged up
have + pp
-ing form
bunging up
continuous
Hear "bung up" in the wild
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