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 At the hospital, the doctor pumped Isul’s stomach and gave her fluids. — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026 The spigots serve as injection ports, where crews can pump grout behind the tunnel wall, with the goal of coating and encasing the entire tunnel lining under the Newtown Creek in a waterproof layer, filling any cracks along the way. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026 Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026 Feynman’s own experiment showed a slight tremor when pressure was first applied to pump water through the nozzle, and then the sprinkler returned to its original position and remained still. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 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
  • From a fringed mullet, to a blonde buzz cut, bobs in various lengths, micro bangs, and even a shade of citrus—Kristen Stewart’s looks are always executed with an edge.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 July 2026
  • One afternoon as a rookie, listening to coaches drone on in a dark room with film cutups flashing in front of them, his head bobbed.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of bob
Verb
  • Instead of preparing for a business-school discussion by reading a case and waiting for class, students can interrogate a custom GPT loaded with the relevant materials.
    — Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • To that end, 14th attempts to interrogate a promise powerful enough to change a nation — and controversial enough to divide it for more than 150 years.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of interrogate
Verb
  • Adjust the plan, automate one small savings move, and choose generosity that does not drain you.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • Choose the step that strengthens your confidence instead of draining it.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • The case exposed serious weaknesses in financial oversight and shook public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting taxpayer dollars.
    — Malia M Cohen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • With the room shaking, the show’s producer, Bob Johnston, plotted a course toward the nearest group of guards.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • City councilors also pushed forward a probe to examine Boston Police Department staffing, retirements, forced overtime, recruitment strategies and more in April.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 27 July 2026
  • The Lown Hospitals Index is the only national ranking that examines how equitably care is delivered, how well hospitals invest in their communities and whether patients receive high-value care that avoids unnecessary procedures, the release said.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of examine
Verb
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also advises against twisting or jerking the tick.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Even if the administration believes those problems warrant reform, legal experts question whether the OMB has the authority to impose this solution.
    — Lisa Song, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
  • Gallup's poll questioned 1,200 adults in telephone interviews from July 1 through 19.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 28 July 2026
Definition of question

Phrases Containing pump

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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 30 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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