thumb through
phrasal verb
thumbed through; thumbing through; thumbs through
: to turn the pages of (a book, magazine, etc.) quickly
I thumbed through a magazine while I waited.
Examples of thumb through in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is one of the larger independent bookstores in San Diego County and is filled with shelves of all shapes and sizes and cozy book nooks where readers can relax and thumb through their latest purchase.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
In the opening seconds of her new music video with Sabrina Carpenter, Dolly Parton thumbs through a vintage Nashville newspaper.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025
Dissociating on social media is practically a holiday tradition, and with 11 days left in 2024, watching TikToks—or scrolling Bluesky, or thumbing through Instagram, if those are more your jam—is about the best way to reset one’s brain.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024
By 2014, Tinder was thumbing through 1 billion swipes per day.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 10 Sep. 2024
The morning routine goes a little like this: a brisk stroll up the road to the Bar Tabac des Alpilles, where the owner Patrick brings out coffees (café express for my dad, café creme for me) and one of the other early morning regulars hands us a newspaper to thumb through.
—Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2024
Ahead, thumb through everything from easy one-pot meals to a few lavish undertakings that every food enthusiast can appreciate.
—Cortne Bonilla, refinery29.com, 5 Jan. 2024
Another officer on scene picks up the cash and thumbs through it as Chapman continues to argue with the man under arrest.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2024
Jason and Susan’s three children and several grandchildren were gathered around his bed, thumbing through a stack of photo albums.
—Julie McFadden, TIME, 10 June 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
In the opening seconds of her new music video with Sabrina Carpenter, Dolly Parton thumbs through a vintage Nashville newspaper.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025
Dissociating on social media is practically a holiday tradition, and with 11 days left in 2024, watching TikToks—or scrolling Bluesky, or thumbing through Instagram, if those are more your jam—is about the best way to reset one’s brain.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024
By 2014, Tinder was thumbing through 1 billion swipes per day.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 10 Sep. 2024
The morning routine goes a little like this: a brisk stroll up the road to the Bar Tabac des Alpilles, where the owner Patrick brings out coffees (café express for my dad, café creme for me) and one of the other early morning regulars hands us a newspaper to thumb through.
—Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2024
Ahead, thumb through everything from easy one-pot meals to a few lavish undertakings that every food enthusiast can appreciate.
—Cortne Bonilla, refinery29.com, 5 Jan. 2024
Another officer on scene picks up the cash and thumbs through it as Chapman continues to argue with the man under arrest.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2024
Jason and Susan’s three children and several grandchildren were gathered around his bed, thumbing through a stack of photo albums.
—Julie McFadden, TIME, 10 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Thumb through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thumb%20through. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share