pump

verb

Definition of pumpnext
1
as in to bob
to make short up-and-down movements the thighs of the bicyclists were pumping furiously as they neared the finish line

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to interrogate
to put a series of questions to prying neighbors pumped the guileless child for information about the family's new pool

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to drain
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely pumped water from the well

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pump That includes the snake's heart — to be able to pump more blood and oxygen to digest the meal. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 July 2026 Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 July 2026 Pitching in the rotation spot vacated when Randy Vásquez went on the IL with a right ankle bruise, Márquez overcame a 31-pitch first inning and was able to walk off the mound four innings later pumping his fist after throwing just 51 more. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026 Analysts at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs warned last week that the market could be heading for a glut next year if producers continue pumping without consideration of demand. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pump
  1. bob
  2. interrogate
  3. drain
  4. shake
  5. examine
  6. jerk
  7. question
Verb
  • Guidry, at the prow, raised the lantern, revealed in the circle oflight a bobbing tangle of sargassum weed, a swimming snake, a child’s cloth doll.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Their long, droopy tails would likely pull them downward and send their snouts bobbing up.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of bob
Verb
  • The brothers’ previous films included 2021’s Camp Confidential, about European Jews who found asylum in America after fleeing Nazi Europe, enlisted in the Army, and interrogated Nazi war criminals at a secret camp.
    — Marisa Fox, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
  • Along these routes, the bulldozers piled up mounds to enclose fortified compounds, military outposts and detention facilities where Palestinians were interrogated and tortured.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of interrogate
Verb
  • Conwell drained a three on his first shot but then missed six in a row, before hitting another three late in the third quarter.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • The promotion dropped on Monday, June 29 and almost immediately, the original $150,000 budget allocated to the promotion was drained —covering some 25,000 pulls.
    — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • The question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
  • The wine and cocktail menu sports a few local makers too, including Gruet Winery’s sparkling wine and Hollow Spirits vodka, which is shaken into the restaurant’s take on a Vesper martini.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • Apple examines each application and each update of every third-party app, and if these don’t meet Apple’s definition of acceptable, then they are not allowed to be installed.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • These agencies examine the water in comparison to contamination thresholds to determine if the area is swimmable.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of examine
Verb
  • Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
  • Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Rather than questioning Tuchel’s right to criticise, Kane took his manager’s side.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • In past hearings, Paul has frequently questioned the former White House medical adviser about bat coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2026
Definition of question

Phrases Containing pump

Browse Nearby Words

pummels
pump
pumped
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Cite this Entry

“Pump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pump. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pump

Nglish: Translation of pump for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pump

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