1
as in bobbing
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 interrogating
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 draining
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
pumped water from the well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pumping
Your adrenaline’s pumping [after] being out for a while.
—
Daily News, 25 Jan. 2026
Lavrenov is still pumping his fist and yelling to no one in particular after an inspired play because of what the sport means to him.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Farmers will have to stop pumping as much.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
His first job in high school was pumping gas for $3 an hour.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Musk was a big contributor to Trump's reelection efforts in 2024, pumping more than $200 million into the race through his America PAC, and later worked with the administration through its Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative aimed at cutting federal spending and regulations.
—Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Jan. 2026
Beijing is pumping money into the industry, backing research efforts and helping launch a new wave of labs and incubators in the country.
—Brad Quick, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
In her statement, McLaughlin did not provide details about the incidents with Omar, the man pumping gas or the man at the vehicle charging station.
—Shaquille Brewster, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Despite Buffett’s business pumping $35 million into it, the company was still struggling.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
Daily News, 25 Jan. 2026
Lavrenov is still pumping his fist and yelling to no one in particular after an inspired play because of what the sport means to him.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Farmers will have to stop pumping as much.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
His first job in high school was pumping gas for $3 an hour.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Musk was a big contributor to Trump's reelection efforts in 2024, pumping more than $200 million into the race through his America PAC, and later worked with the administration through its Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative aimed at cutting federal spending and regulations.
—Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Jan. 2026
Beijing is pumping money into the industry, backing research efforts and helping launch a new wave of labs and incubators in the country.
—Brad Quick, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
In her statement, McLaughlin did not provide details about the incidents with Omar, the man pumping gas or the man at the vehicle charging station.
—Shaquille Brewster, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Despite Buffett’s business pumping $35 million into it, the company was still struggling.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping
Verb
-
Meeks and cinematographer Stefan Weinberger pay special attention to the region’s natural beauty, repeating a single shot of a car bobbing over a two-lane highway amid vibrant green hills.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Still, the infant’s head can be seen bobbing up and down.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Moreover, sociology is one of the best empirical fields for interrogating the consequences of different values, for how ideas get built into institutions, for how social networks operate across domains.—
Wendy Nelson Espeland,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Besotted Benedict spends most of the beginning of the episode on the hunt for his love-at-first-sight, interrogating ladies on the promenade and showing up to balls with sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie) in tow for assistance.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Poor oversight puts care at risk by draining resources, enabling unsafe practices, and undermining long-term sustainability.—
Miki Kapoor,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Parsley needs fertile, well-draining soil.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Virtually all the players, and often their caddies, make a point of coming over and shaking hands with the servicemen.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The Fire Dogs and Law Hogs were united as one before kickoff, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The study was helmed by a group of German scientists examining the effects of ocean acidity.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Future studies will focus on improving the model, testing the system in larger groups and examining how real-time physiological data can inform care outside the clinic.—
Mayo Clinic News Network,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With the sexy newcomer Heated Rivalry now sucking up all the romance-TV oxygen, Part 1 of Bridgerton Season Four arrived last week with something to prove.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Aphids are tiny sap-sucking pests that quickly damage houseplants.—
Jon VanZile,
The Spruce,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The room sighs in relief a second later when Buckley reanimates, jerking and flailing like a soul possessed, grinning maniacally — all on purpose, inspired by the earlier veil snafu.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Feb. 2026
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Some signs that the carburetor is clogged on a snow blower are starting then dying a few seconds afterward, jerking, sputtering noises, and black smoke emitting from the exhaust.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During the Miami town hall, Savannah Guthrie pressed Trump on his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and his social media reposts questioning Osama bin Laden's death.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Bateman’s questioning aside, the lack of research is a central conceit of the show, which launched during the pandemic as a pastime for friends and now hosts Will Arnett, Sean Hayes and Bateman.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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