1
as in bobs
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 interrogates
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 drains
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 pumps
Vince Camuto Sindree Pump If Roberts’ brown pointed-toe heels caught your eye, these Vince Camuto pumps showcase a similar aesthetic.
—
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Victor Sanchez pumps gas into his truck at an Arco gas station on August 28, 2025, in Mill Valley, California.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Seconds later, Prater pumps Batista with five bullets.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
The premium Beats Audio system in the Jetta GLI pumps 400 W through nine speakers, including a subwoofer.
—ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
In an evaporative cooling system, pumps push cold water through pipes in the data center.
—Melissa Scanlan, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
The Dodgers’ heartbeat still pumps.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
A day is created, from the organ that pumps our blood.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
Gayle King hosted the USTA Foundation Opening Night Gala on Sunday, taking a bow as host at the event wearing a pair of red Manolo Blahnik pumps.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Victor Sanchez pumps gas into his truck at an Arco gas station on August 28, 2025, in Mill Valley, California.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Seconds later, Prater pumps Batista with five bullets.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
The premium Beats Audio system in the Jetta GLI pumps 400 W through nine speakers, including a subwoofer.
—ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
In an evaporative cooling system, pumps push cold water through pipes in the data center.
—Melissa Scanlan, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
The Dodgers’ heartbeat still pumps.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
A day is created, from the organ that pumps our blood.
—Hazlitt, 23 Oct. 2024
Gayle King hosted the USTA Foundation Opening Night Gala on Sunday, taking a bow as host at the event wearing a pair of red Manolo Blahnik pumps.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumps
Verb
-
The reader bobs along in the author’s stream of consciousness, riding crests of despair, anger, and hilarity as Toews assembles the shards of her past to investigate her will to write, which is deeply entwined with her will to live.—
Kristen Martin,
The Atlantic,
27 Aug. 2025
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But sometimes even icons need to switch things up a bit—cue the dizzying array of flippy waves, shags, and bobs over the years.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Pierre Michel Jean’s TTFF title Oblivion interrogates anti-Blackness in Dominican society.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Made in Africa is a monthly column by Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh that celebrates and interrogates the lives, concerns, and innovations of cultural workers of the African diaspora from their vantage point.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Though Good Boy gets by for a while on the strength of its performances and the sheer oddness of its plot, the flimsiness of its characters drains the film of energy long before its 110 minutes are up.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Holding onto declining practices drains resources from future growth.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bear swims to the exit, and shakes off his wet fur.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Uranus’ retrograde in your zone of foundations and roots shakes you to your core!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment, Law & Order examines the criminal justice system and tells the stories of the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
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In his brilliant book A Little Devil in America, Hanif Abdurraqib examines how Black performance is woven into the fabric of American life and culture—adored, abhorred, exploited, commodified, appropriated.—
Lauren Morrow
September 9,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The report taps dozens of data sources, including the census, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Musically, Byrne taps into modern-ish pop strategies via Harry Styles producer Kid Harpoon.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Marketing reports on volume, while sales questions the quality.—
Cameron Partridge,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Virgil van Dijk took the same action to get out of Southampton and nobody questions his attitude.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Flank steak grills beautifully and offers natural temperature variation across the cut for different preferences.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
21 Aug. 2025
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This mom-and-pop shop grills pork and chicken Filipino barbecue on skewers.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pumps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumps. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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