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
Relevance
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 Ruidoso, New Mexico, the pounding hooves of racehorses have entranced crowds from across Texas and New Mexico every summer, pumping in millions of dollars from the All-American Derby, Oaks and Futurity races and the steady hum of seasonal jobs that carry this mountain village.
—
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Instead of pumping in conventional air conditioning, it was surrounded by proprietary glass panes filled with cooled water.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025
In another shot, Elordi could be seen dancing solo while pumping his fists in the air.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
The ground is sinking because of excessive groundwater pumping in the San Simon Valley, an area with a long agricultural history and a recent boom in nut production.
—Clara Migoya, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The blood-pumping thriller starts with a man and his young son arriving at a rave in the Moroccan outback looking for their daughter/sister.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
If that doesn’t get the juices pumping, switch on the audio.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
Here are five fun and untraditional workouts to get your heart pumping and improve your running.
—Paige Triola, Outside, 17 Sep. 2025
As such, a study like this doesn’t change her recommendations about pumping and feeding schedules.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 17 Sep. 2025
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Instead of pumping in conventional air conditioning, it was surrounded by proprietary glass panes filled with cooled water.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025
In another shot, Elordi could be seen dancing solo while pumping his fists in the air.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
The ground is sinking because of excessive groundwater pumping in the San Simon Valley, an area with a long agricultural history and a recent boom in nut production.
—Clara Migoya, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025
The blood-pumping thriller starts with a man and his young son arriving at a rave in the Moroccan outback looking for their daughter/sister.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
If that doesn’t get the juices pumping, switch on the audio.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
Here are five fun and untraditional workouts to get your heart pumping and improve your running.
—Paige Triola, Outside, 17 Sep. 2025
As such, a study like this doesn’t change her recommendations about pumping and feeding schedules.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping
Verb
-
The degree to which Celine’s bob is bobbing can’t even be measured on a human scale.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Sylvester climbed in back, buds in his ears, iPod in hand, his head bobbing to some beat.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of letting our legs carry us aimlessly down the road with our minds interrogating every step, our thumbs pose too simple a question to which our smartphones are pleased to give us too simple an answer.—
Paul Greenberg,
Time,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Both sides have also carried out arbitrary detentions, with SAF interrogating and beating dozens of Christians in 2024 and 2025.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of reconnecting, conversations with Ella have become draining and repetitive.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Soil Any average well-draining soil is fine because these plants are used to tough conditions and adapt well to a variety of soil types.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
In sixteenth-century Europe, just as Martin Luther’s ideas were shaking Catholic institutions, a far more radical movement for freedom rose up among peasants.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This musical blends gospel and Motown with operatic stylings to illuminate the changing times of the Civil Rights era while examining social and familial issues still prevalent today.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The exhibition is devoted to examining modes of representation in different mediums where artists have addressed the concept of mourning, commemoration, and loss as a direct response to the national emergency of black grief.—
Simon Njami,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Once you’re done sucking away all that excess hair, use the detachable clipper to trim the hair without being tethered by a cord.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Since then, the Internet has gone about its immemorial business of destroying all incumbent forms of media; not content with vampirizing print, the digital space began sucking the life from pay-TV a dozen years ago.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He, too, was bowled over by the film's tear-jerking finale.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
-
With an epic Oscar-winning title song by Streisand and tear-jerking scenes aplenty, this film is a perennial favorite and often referred to in pop culture.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The club’s former general manager Pierpaolo Marino then poured fuel on the fire by questioning whether Scott McTominay should have been pushed out to the left of midfield to make way for summer arrival De Bruyne.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
He also was sought for questioning in a child abuse case, Ferrell said.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share