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
  • There's currently no 100-MW Kraaken bobbing offshore, powering 32,000 homes, at least for now.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But the calm day gave way to terror when her uncle again looked out into the ocean and saw Summer’s head bobbing in and out of the water.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of bob
Verb
  • The technology had moved faster than the organization’s capacity to interrogate it, and no one positioned to stop the deployment had the standing, or the fluency, to ask what would happen if the update failed.
    — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Some years ago, when a foreign tourist was seen recording a video on a street in Beijing, he was stopped and interrogated by several dama wearing red armbands.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 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
  • Henry drove off and sped up to 45 mph before jerking the car.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But in 1933, within a matter of days, they were jerked back into reality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 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 11 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pump

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pump

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