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
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
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
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
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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Several Vanderpump Rules alumni aren't hitching their wagons to The Valley.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
15 Nov. 2025
-
Getting stuck in some remote native village for 36 days while hitching rides.—
Corky Carroll,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Years of kitchen use and page-flipping transform a book into a genre fixture.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Others lay on the hardwood floor, flipping through picture books.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The ankle-skimming pants also come in two inseam lengths.—
Cheryl Wagemann,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
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Why People Love It During its prime trending era in the 1950s, as well as into modern times, boatneck shirts are most known for being flattering on your form—skimming across your collarbones in a lengthening, elegant way.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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