as in criticism
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Recent Examples of thumbs-down
According to February Gallup polling, 42 percent of Americans are giving a thumbs-up to Trump’s economic stewardship while 54 percent are giving him a thumbs-down.
Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy also fell to 39 percent from 43 percent in polling released last week by Reuters/Ipsos.
—
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 1 Mar. 2025
From thumbs-up to thumbs-downs, here’s how critics are reacting.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
That drew extended cheers while people in the crowd made thumbs-down gestures to signify McCain’s opposition to the GOP effort to repeal it.
—Will Weissert, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024
In late August, Lindor and good friend Javier Baez, whom the Mets acquired weeks earlier from the Chicago Cubs, began flashing a thumbs-down sign upon getting base hits in response to fans who booed the team throughout a disappointing season.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Is there any gesture in our visual vernacular more visceral than a thumbs-down?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2024
Separately, content pages will now have thumbs-up and thumbs-down icons to help personalize the company’s algorithms to your own taste.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 24 Sep. 2024
Pusha has a slick line about the Brittney Griner prisoner swap, and a humorous thumbs-down to D-list reality stars that lands in characteristically callous fashion.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024
Here's one: Republican efforts to repeal the landmark Affordable Care Act were vanquished in 2017 when GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, at a suspenseful final moment, gave a thumbs-down vote against his party.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 1 Mar. 2025
From thumbs-up to thumbs-downs, here’s how critics are reacting.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024
That drew extended cheers while people in the crowd made thumbs-down gestures to signify McCain’s opposition to the GOP effort to repeal it.
—Will Weissert, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2024
In late August, Lindor and good friend Javier Baez, whom the Mets acquired weeks earlier from the Chicago Cubs, began flashing a thumbs-down sign upon getting base hits in response to fans who booed the team throughout a disappointing season.
—Jerry Beach, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Is there any gesture in our visual vernacular more visceral than a thumbs-down?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2024
Separately, content pages will now have thumbs-up and thumbs-down icons to help personalize the company’s algorithms to your own taste.
—Chris Welch, The Verge, 24 Sep. 2024
Pusha has a slick line about the Brittney Griner prisoner swap, and a humorous thumbs-down to D-list reality stars that lands in characteristically callous fashion.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024
Here's one: Republican efforts to repeal the landmark Affordable Care Act were vanquished in 2017 when GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, at a suspenseful final moment, gave a thumbs-down vote against his party.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbs-down
Noun
-
Since returning to office, Trump has directed his administration to act aggressively against foreign nationals who the Administration has alleged are undermining American interests, particularly in the context of criticism of Israel and campus protests against the war in Gaza.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
9 May 2025
-
Trump hasn't shied away from bashing Biden in speeches, online posts and executive orders, and the White House hasn't backed down in the face of the former president's criticisms.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
There seems to be a widespread distaste among philanthropies for grantees developing dependence on their support.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2025
-
One wonders why Garland and co-director Ray Mendoza have made the film at all when there seems to be not simply an ignorance of the period in question but an active distaste for realizing its real-life consequences.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That is down from a 48 approval percent in February, and up from a 49 percent disapproval.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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His immigration policies, which also have a 45% approval rating and a 44% disapproval rating, received the most support as the White House carries out an overhaul of the U.S. immigration system.—
Kate Linderman,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Trump had longtime Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden dismissed via email late on May 8, drawing broad condemnation from her supporters in Congress.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
-
The move drew swift condemnation from NATO leaders, who viewed it as a concession to Russian aggression.—
Martha McHardy
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
Out of the 60,000 babies born in New Zealand last year, there were 71 rejections, according to an Official Information Act inquiry.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
10 May 2025
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Largely unknown, with few public remarks, Souter was considered a politically palatable choice as the contentious Senate rejection of Reagan nominee Robert Bork three years earlier still rattled Washington.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Noun
-
The trial committee recommended a private letter of censure and a bar on serving as a strike captain for three years.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2025
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Maine state representative Laurel Libby's lawsuit over her recent censure by the state legislature went to federal court on Friday for its first hearing in Rhode Island.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This one is both meaner-spirited and clumsier, as Brooker grafts his prank call coming from inside the house onto a denunciation of one of the planet’s profoundest manmade evils: the health-care industry.—
Charles Bramesco,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2025
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The National Museum of African American History and Culture—which, until recently, was run by The New Yorker’s poetry editor, Kevin Young—comes in for particularly splenetic denunciation.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thumbs-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbs-down. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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