1
as in hitches
to travel by securing free rides
thought I'd thumb into town instead of paying for a cab
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flips
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of thumbs
Unfortunately, that’s the only real recourse the public has with a Congress that still gleefully thumbs its nose at the laws and rules that apply to others.
—
Douglas MacKinnon, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2026
Cillian Murphy Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy also makes an appearance as the spokesmodel for Opalite, appearing on a billboard with a bright smile and thumbs up.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Feldman, meanwhile, flashed a big smile and thumbs up to the camera.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
Last Samurai Standing also got the all-important, and extremely coveted, Hideo Kojima thumbs up.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Nov. 2025
The video player page includes a description, links to similar content, and the ability to give a film a thumbs up or thumbs down.
—PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025
Douglas MacKinnon, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2026
Cillian Murphy Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy also makes an appearance as the spokesmodel for Opalite, appearing on a billboard with a bright smile and thumbs up.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Feldman, meanwhile, flashed a big smile and thumbs up to the camera.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
Last Samurai Standing also got the all-important, and extremely coveted, Hideo Kojima thumbs up.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Nov. 2025
The video player page includes a description, links to similar content, and the ability to give a film a thumbs up or thumbs down.
—PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbs
Verb
-
Following her character’s breakup with a cowboy (played by Luke Grimes), Langley hitches a ride back to Tennessee with a sage country singer who’s already seen it all (Miranda Lambert).—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Piecemeal progress As Scott hitches his legacy to trying to eradicate the thousands of vacant homes that have blighted the city for decades, the contrast between the two neighborhoods may be the biggest hurdle.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But when performed live by the E Street Band, the song flips from black and white to technicolor, with Springsteen opening the song solo acoustic and the band swinging in on the chorus.—
Caryn Rose,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
American daredevil Evel Knievel falls to the ground as his motorcycle flips in the air at Wembley Stadium during his attempt to leap over 13 London buses.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Critical thinking really bums them out.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thumbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbs. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
