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 Morik, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025 Before Drew could say anything, Mike thumbed his collar and wandered off, still gazing at the color wheel. Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 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
  • That outlines Andromeda, the princess, who’s hitched to the rear end of the horse.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Joe Manganiello is getting hitched.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His collar is flipped; his hair is styled into a mullet.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Anuel, however, flipped the track on its head, rapping his own bars in their place.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • More than 12,000 athletes skimmed the surface of the Charles River this weekend during the Head of the Charles Regatta, which marked 60 years with this year’s competition.
    Boston Herald staff, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • One of them skimmed past Joonas Korpisalo after deflecting off Tanner Jeannot.
    Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Thumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbed. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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