thumbs

Definition of thumbsnext
present tense third-person singular of thumb
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

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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 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
  • 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
  • Byrne's take on the song features different production and flips some of the lyrics to reflect his perspective as a 73-year-old man.
    Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Every once in a while, Earth's magnetic field flips.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The cranky and irritating backseat driver, who bums a lift midway through the Griswolds' adventure, also has with her the easily excitable pooch Dinky.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Thumbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbs. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

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