1
as in hitching
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 flipping
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 thumbing
Val Kilmer’s performance as this trickster poet forever thumbing his nose at reality embodies the movie’s tensions.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
For months, this young, rambunctious, and altogether infectious bunch played with house money, thumbing their collective noses at the idea of another year of rebuild futility.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Why did Lucas take the note from De Palma while thumbing his nose at studio suggestions?
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
He was criticized for seemingly thumbing his nose at the NFL’s Rooney Rule and only interviewing four candidates before selecting Vrabel.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Israel, a small nation dependent on our country for military support, is thumbing its nose at us, the most powerful country in the world.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2025
The software update is basically thumbing their noses at the ITC ruling.
—PC Magazine, 11 Feb. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
For months, this young, rambunctious, and altogether infectious bunch played with house money, thumbing their collective noses at the idea of another year of rebuild futility.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Why did Lucas take the note from De Palma while thumbing his nose at studio suggestions?
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
He was criticized for seemingly thumbing his nose at the NFL’s Rooney Rule and only interviewing four candidates before selecting Vrabel.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Israel, a small nation dependent on our country for military support, is thumbing its nose at us, the most powerful country in the world.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2025
The software update is basically thumbing their noses at the ITC ruling.
—PC Magazine, 11 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbing
Verb
-
Economist Jayati Ghosh, who researched India's COVID response, estimates some 80 million migrant workers tried to return home, walking and hitching rides in searing summer heat.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
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Clayton Club Saloon — which developed a reputation as a rowdy cowboy bar, decked out with boots hanging from the ceiling and hitching posts outside — anchored the small city’s downtown.—
Mario Cortez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Asia-Pacific markets whipsawed in volatile trading on Tuesday, with major indices flipping to losses in the morning session, as uncertainty surrounding the war weighs on investor sentiment.—
Hugh Leask,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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The Jellicle Ball begins with a lone DJ (Ken Ard) on stage, flipping through a stash of vintage LPs including Michael Jackson and, inevitably, the original Cats cast album with the iconic yellow eyes logo.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But a financial audit revealed that Alfortish had been skimming money, some of which had been earmarked for hurricane relief, to pay for vacations to Aruba and to Grand Cayman, and for a new sound system at his home.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Fifteen-year-old Savannah wore white pumps with a few inches of heel while the younger two completed their outfits with a pair of loafers (Isla) and a skimming ballerina flat (Georgina).—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbing. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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