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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 Getting the heart pumping through chest compressions distributes oxygen. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 The 10mm dynamic drivers pump rich spatial sound customized to your personal ears. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026 Emergency workers have pumped air and dropped food into one tunnel but have yet to establish communication with anyone inside. — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 The first uses a special rig that pumps sCO₂ through real downhole equipment under realistic conditions. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 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
  • As the balloon carrying the cauldron rose and bobbed a couple hundred feet overhead, many got busy taking photos and recording videos and selfies.
    — Hannah Bloch, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026
  • During the Hudson Williams look-alike contest, Hoefer zoned out as a large cardboard cutout of the Heated Rivalry star’s face bobbed over the crowd.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of bob
Verb
  • The parallels between what happened and is still happening in Gaza right now and what happened during World War II clearly are not lost on some of the Israeli men and women interrogated here, even if the scale and details are certainly different.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Fielder and Oppenheim have created a fascinating portrait of a relationship, decimating notions of objectivity in documentary while also interrogating the limits of fiction.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of interrogate
Verb
  • As a young man, Francisco traversed it on horseback, eking out a living by draining resin from the towering pines.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Management voluntarily closed the store until a three-compartment sink could be fixed to drain properly.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • As Gansey greeted them, shaking hands, taking photos and smiling endlessly, one stepped forward with a question that encapsulated everything.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • More than a year of demonstrations sometimes drawing hundreds of thousands of people shook Vucic more than ever during his 14 years in power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • As the deputy gets closer to examine the animal, the deer suddenly springs to life.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • To be clear, the mundaneness, examined piecemeal, is undeniably horrific.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of examine
Verb
  • And like any great sitcom, Friends runs the gamut from numbing brain-rot to tear-jerking sentimentality.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The production’s winking tone blunts some of the original’s tear-jerking climax, yet its intact happy ending offers a surprisingly comforting vision of survival in an age of constant crises.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Leclerc was fifth and 87 points down Ahead of Monza, some observers were already questioning whether Ferrari should start prioritizing its lead driver to mount a championship challenge.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In another critical post on X, the comedian questioned Sheeran’s decision to bring Macklemore on as an opening act.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 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 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pump

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pump

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