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
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Recent Examples of pumping
Travelers can expect to sail past incredible vistas of fjords and towering glaciers, or get their hearts pumping with a requisite polar plunge, diving into the icy waters for the ultimate rush.
—
Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
In one of the images, Culpo appeared to be pumping milk while getting her hair done.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Tech giants are pumping money into nuclear energy investments, looking to power energy-intensive data centers and realize their AI ambitions.
—April Roach, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
The South American country of just 800,000 has generated billions of dollars from oil since ExxonMobil started pumping in 2019.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Few if any filmmakers can build and breathlessly sustain visceral intensity with the command of Paul Greengrass, who brings documentary realism, kinetic energy and heart-pumping adrenaline to stories drawn from life or fiction, generally about people caught in explosive situations.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Along with fist-pumping volume, the PartyBox 720 is the largest JBL party speaker that can run off battery power.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Now the battle over waters of the Rio Grande could be nearing resolution as New Mexico, Texas and Colorado announced fresh settlement proposals Friday designed to rein in groundwater pumping along the river in New Mexico and ensure enough river water reliably makes it to Texas.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
And in the height of summer, with an extra air conditioner pumping in the corner, the heat from the semi-exposed kitchen can make the dining room feel slightly steamy.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
In one of the images, Culpo appeared to be pumping milk while getting her hair done.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
Tech giants are pumping money into nuclear energy investments, looking to power energy-intensive data centers and realize their AI ambitions.
—April Roach, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
The South American country of just 800,000 has generated billions of dollars from oil since ExxonMobil started pumping in 2019.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Few if any filmmakers can build and breathlessly sustain visceral intensity with the command of Paul Greengrass, who brings documentary realism, kinetic energy and heart-pumping adrenaline to stories drawn from life or fiction, generally about people caught in explosive situations.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Along with fist-pumping volume, the PartyBox 720 is the largest JBL party speaker that can run off battery power.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Now the battle over waters of the Rio Grande could be nearing resolution as New Mexico, Texas and Colorado announced fresh settlement proposals Friday designed to rein in groundwater pumping along the river in New Mexico and ensure enough river water reliably makes it to Texas.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
And in the height of summer, with an extra air conditioner pumping in the corner, the heat from the semi-exposed kitchen can make the dining room feel slightly steamy.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping
Verb
-
Dramatic video shows the moment nearly 70 shipping containers fell off a cargo ship Tuesday and were left bobbing in the ocean at the Port of Long Beach in California.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The concert film captures Mitski alongside a seven-piece band, bobbing in and out of a beaming spotlight and dark shadows.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While occasional jealousy is natural, constant suspicion, interrogating whereabouts or pressuring the other person for explanations signals deeper trust issues.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the documentary jumps quickly between these stories without interrogating any of them in close detail.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bowls have wavy, scalloped edges that give it an artisanal look as well as holds and cutouts for draining any lingering water.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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Use fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil that’s well-draining, and amend it with compost or other organic matter.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Practice rounds sometimes turn into showcases of raw talent, the kind that leave teammates shaking their heads at the sound off his club face.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Police alleged that the brain bleed was consistent with shaking an infant.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For those feeling especially upset over this video, Anderson recommends examining those feelings and channeling them in healthy, productive ways.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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To find an exoplanet, the most successful methods have leveraged examining the light from a star that might house them.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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So tech companies are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build out the data centers — giant, energy-sucking buildings full of computer servers — to ensure the US has the technical infrastructure to deliver all of the AI magic.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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In addition, Apple seems to have been able to execute the upgrade without sucking up your spare storage with excessively large video files.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One video posted to the social platform X appeared to show Kirk addressing the students, at one point speaking about gang violence, before being struck near the neck and later jerking to his left side.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
10 Sep. 2025
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The story follows a Jewish family across five generations, from childhood to adulthood, blending laughs and tear-jerking moments, just like in Bob-Waksberg’s other shows.—
Braedon Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to the New York Times, this individual was the second person detained and later released by law enforcement authorities after questioning.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Instead, the Prime Minister’s absence has left British Jews questioning whether this government is serious about confronting the hatred consuming our country.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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