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
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
Today, Lone Star state legislators are thumbing their noses at the longstanding political norm, followed by every other state, of waiting until the next census before redrawing their congressional districts.
—Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
The software update is basically thumbing their noses at the ITC ruling.
—PC Magazine, 11 Feb. 2025
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2025
Today, Lone Star state legislators are thumbing their noses at the longstanding political norm, followed by every other state, of waiting until the next census before redrawing their congressional districts.
—Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 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
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Getting stuck in some remote native village for 36 days while hitching rides.—
Corky Carroll,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
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The researchers had shown in 2023 that parasitic scraps of DNA could spread within bacterial populations by hitching rides on the tails of infecting viruses.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Grill, covered, until wings form a nice crust and char, 5 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through grilling time.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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After spinning, flipping and twirling their hearts out, the pair received a score of 34 from the judges.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In honor of the exciting moment, the star chose to do something drastic—chop and dye her waist-skimming locks.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
26 Oct. 2025
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Its sleek, slim-fit design and elastic waistband make for a fit that’s professional yet comfortable, and its ankle-skimming length is ideal for showing off cute loafers, sneakers, or other fall shoes.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbing. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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