pumping

verb

present participle of pump
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

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 pumping In this way, simple cheapness becomes the rationale for pumping yet more carbon emissions into the atmosphere to import lumber produced through the destruction of overseas forests. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026 With Saudi Arabia pumping more oil through its East-West pipeline into the port of Yanbu, any Houthi attacks risk about 4½ million barrels of oil per day. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 23 July 2026 The Bills have spent six months trying to patch up Pegula’s gaffe by pumping Coleman’s tires. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Merrillville joined several other government entities in pumping the brakes on data centers. — Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026 After a month of adrenaline-pumping action, the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws to a close this weekend with two exciting finals. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 18 July 2026 Fans bond by singing the same words, tunes, and rhythms together, swaying, waving or pumping fists in unison. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 18 July 2026 Rethinking zinc storage Flow batteries typically store energy by pumping liquid electrolytes through an electrochemical cell. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026 Spend a morning getting your blood pumping by climbing the 199 steps to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse, built in 1859. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping
  1. bobbing
  2. interrogating
  3. draining
  4. shaking
  5. examining
  6. sucking
  7. jerking
  8. questioning
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 bobbing
Verb
  • Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable interrogating formulations rather than simply admiring them, and that changes the relationship between brand and buyer in ways the industry is only beginning to understand.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • But the filmmaker proves more interested in interrogating that ethos than recreating it, and few horror mythologies are better suited to exploring betrayal and regret than one built around the refusal to let the dead remain dead.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
Definition of interrogating
Verb
  • That includes the wound draining fluid, having a foul odor or getting bigger.
    — Sarah Tomlinson, The Conversation, 24 July 2026
  • How To Care For Onions In Pots Onions prefer well-draining, loamy, and slightly acidic to neutral soil, such as potting soil with compost mixed in.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 July 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • He is later seen greeting incarcerated men in the prison canteen, shaking hands and performing with several inmates serving as his backing band.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • Jelly then enters the prison canteen, greeting hundreds of other inmates and shaking their hands.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of shaking
Verb
  • Sheinbaum has said that little evidence has emerged to substantiate claims of cartels interfering with elections, and noted that a state-level electoral tribunal ratified Rocha’s win in Sinaloa, after examining reports of irregularities.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The annual judging is done by examining the photos of the works, given that the medium, blackboards, can’t be moved easily.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Definition of examining
Verb
  • The episode, in addition to being a black eye for one of America’s most reliable corporate numbers-hitters, shows the mad scramble for dollars in the world of AI, which has been a giant sucking sound in the economy for a while now.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 July 2026
  • Left unchecked, these sap-sucking pests can quickly weaken tomato plants and reduce your harvest, so early intervention is essential.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 18 July 2026
Definition of sucking
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 jerking
Verb
  • Granger chastised Abernethy in a series of emails, then took her concerns to Oberhelman, questioning his decision to assign her operations duties for the entire program in addition to her job coaching the divers.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026
  • As details of the deal emerged Wednesday, opposition on Capitol Hill and elsewhere began to snowball, with Republicans and Democrats both questioning the wisdom of the agreement.
    — Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of questioning

Browse Nearby Words

pump-faking
pumping
pumping up
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Cite this Entry

“Pumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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