Synonyms of pumping

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

• bobbing
• shaking
• jerking
• swaying
• nodding
• jogging
• wagging
• seesawing
• rocking
• jouncing
• swinging
• ducking
• wiggling
• bobbling
• oscillating
• jiggling
• wobbling
• undulating
• dropping

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

• interrogating
• examining
• questioning
• grilling
• quizzing
• sweating
• querying
• catechizing
• picking the brains of
• giving the third degree to
• harassing
• debriefing
• pestering
• hounding
• annoying
• canvassing
• polling
• cross-examining
• cross-questioning

3

as in draining

to remove (liquid) gradually or completely

pumped water from the well

Synonyms & Similar Words

• draining
• sucking
• siphoning
• emptying
• tapping
• bleeding
• drawing (off)
• cleaning
• drafting
• evacuating
• milking
• flushing
• exhausting
• purging
• depleting
• clearing
• vacating
• voiding
• effusing
• vacuating
• decanting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• filling
• wetting
• washing
• soaking
• watering
• bathing
• drenching
• flooding
• dousing
• drowning
• overflowing
• inundating
• sousing
• swamping
• submerging
• deluging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pumping

The powerhouse sisters were raised in London in a musical home, with talent essentially pumping through each of their veins. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026

Noah Kahan is pumping the brakes on the White House's embrace of his music. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 July 2026

To save the cost and effort of pumping millions of liters of seawater solely to obtain minerals, the researchers propose bolting modular reactors onto coastal desalination plants, which already move enormous quantities of the stuff. — New Atlas, 27 July 2026

If those vessels do not abruptly close, blood continues pumping into the empty uterus and a hemorrhage begins. — Mara Evans, STAT, 27 July 2026

Just over the Hudson River, New Jersey has prohibited drivers from pumping their own gasoline since 1949. — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

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