thumbed

past tense of thumb
1
as in hitched
to travel by securing free rides thought I'd thumb into town instead of paying for a cab

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in flipped
to turn over pages in an idle or cursory manner I thumbed through the book during the flight but was too distracted to really read it

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 thumbed Since then, several states have thumbed their nose at the order. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025 In short, Moscow sees Montenegro as both strategically valuable and an impudent upstart that has thumbed its nose at the Russian bear while genuflecting before NATO and Washington. Edward P. Joseph, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbed
Verb
  • When Jean arrived with Wole, before the sun was high-hot, Kelly was already there, sitting tacky under Mickey Martinez’s arm, inside his red F-150, the boat hitched behind.
    David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
  • In three weeks’ time, getting hitched in Los Angeles County will become significantly more expensive.
    Claire Wang, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The calendar had not yet flipped to October, but with one mammoth swing, Ohtani gave this Dodgers postseason run a proper introduction.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • In 2023, the court flipped to a liberal majority for the first time in well over a decade with the election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz.
    Mary Spicuzza, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • For years, Apple required that all in-app purchases be processed through its App Store and skimmed 30 percent off each transaction.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Santarelli skimmed from some investors to make interest payments to others, authorities said.
    Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Thumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbed. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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