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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The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in 2024—taking the White House, flipping the Senate and maintaining control of the House—has sparked soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong, how to rebuild, and party leadership and direction.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Democrats also performed well in one red state election, flipping two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 76-year-old industry icon shows some skin in this two-piece featuring a bra top with statement sleeves and floor skimming skirt.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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With a pixie cut, Duwaji’s personal style leans toward the understated, including her pairing of long shorts with an oversize buckle, midriff-skimming one-shoulder top and cowboy boots.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbing. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
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