as in criticism
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Recent Examples of thumbs-down
After the World Series and the Gold Glove, after a trade to New York, a thumbs-down to Mets fans, Báez signed with the Detroit Tigers on a six-year, $140 million deal.
—
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Bakare then went on to gesture thumbs-up or thumbs-down.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
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
Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Bakare then went on to gesture thumbs-up or thumbs-down.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbs-down
Noun
-
Also rejected was a proposal soliciting a report on warehouse working conditions, a perennial source of criticism of the company.—
Greg Bensinger,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
-
The previous reports that the Department of Justice was investigating UnitedHealth for Medicare fraud brought criticism of the company, with its stock falling by 17% last Thursday.—
Morgan Kromer,
The Washington Examiner,
21 May 2025
Noun
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President Donald Trump is once again letting his distaste for Bruce Springsteen be known after the musician slammed him and his administration during two recent concerts.—
Anna Chan,
Billboard,
21 May 2025
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Though the actor doesn’t have social media, Hagner isn't shy about sharing sweet tributes to her husband on Instagram — often poking fun at his distaste for sharing his life publicly.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Despite her father’s initial disapproval of Jesse (Thomas McDonell), a bad boy with a heart of gold, Nova goes to the prom with him, and all the drama leading up to the dance proves worth it in the end.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
17 May 2025
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Trump's average approval rating is 45% as of Friday, May 16, with a 51% disapproval number, according to the New York Times' poll aggregation service.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Noun
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It must be asked not as condemnation, but as a doorway to deeper understanding—of her, of ourselves, and of the social and emotional architecture that keeps so many of us bound in silence, shame, and survival.—
Shayla Brown,
Essence,
19 May 2025
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The death of Rajab, while one of thousands of children killed in Gaza since Israeli launched its military offensive following the terror attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7 2023, sparked global condemnation, with student protestors at Columbia University renaming overtaken buildings in honor of the victim.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
There’s no palm rejection when using the stylus, so my hand made unintended markings in my notes.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 May 2025
-
One key driver of this was the constant exposure to judgment and perceived rejection.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Libby filed her lawsuit against Fecteau to have the censure overturned on March 11.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2025
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The trial committee recommended that Bush receive a confidential letter of censure and a ban from serving as a strike captain for three years.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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China’s vilification of Lai echoes Beijing’s denunciations, roughly two decades ago, of Chen Shui-bian, then president of Taiwan.—
Bonny Lin,
Foreign Affairs,
15 May 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Thumbs-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbs-down. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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