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
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Recent Examples of thumbed
Back during the height of covid, the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery thumbed its nose at social-distancing recommendations and crammed upwards of a thousand people into its beer garden for its annual Mecktoberfest.
—
Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
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
Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
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
-
In the meantime, the data center will work on getting hitched to the grid.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
18 Jan. 2026
-
The last thing the city needs is a repeat of Victory Park, the anodyne development hitched to the American Airlines Center that, more than two decades after its inception, has only begun to find traction as a vibrant community — and may lose it if its primary tenants depart.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Democrats believe the seat could be in play in a wave election year for the party, like in 2018, when Democrat Joe Cunningham flipped the seat as Democrats retook the majority.—
Benjamin Siegel,
ABC News,
20 Jan. 2026
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Maybe they get flipped blade side up.—
Broti Gupta,
New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
You will be met at the jetty in the shadow of the splendid ruin of Castle Tioram and skimmed across to Eilean Shona by boat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The simple and elegant dress was made to have a fluid silhouette that skimmed her body rather than tightly gripping it, letting the neckline do most of the talking.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbed. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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