thumbs-down

noun

Definition of thumbs-downnext
as in criticism

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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-down But the Western States Petroleum Association, an industry trade group, gave Tuesday’s announcement a thumbs-down. — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 Ultimately, the Fillmore city council gave Aston the thumbs-down on Aston's bond idea. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2026 Those patients can provide feedback on Emmie’s responses with simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down reactions. — Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2026 For opponents, that can feel like the tennis equivalent of a thumbs-down from a Roman emperor. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thumbs-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbs-down
  1. criticism
  2. distaste
  3. disapproval
  4. condemnation
  5. rejection
  6. censure
  7. denunciation
Noun
  • The company has continued to push back on criticism by offering law enforcement advice on how to counter public pressure at city council meetings, noted Torin Monahan, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The European Court of Human ​Rights ruled in 2014 that Hungary had sacked Baka for criticism ​of the ⁠government and that his removal did damage to democratic freedoms in Hungary.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of criticism
Noun
  • The president’s distaste for Swift goes back ever farther than the most recent election.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Anecdotally, many professionals are reporting a distaste for emails that sound AI-generated.
    — James Davis, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of distaste
Noun
  • According to Warburton, Barbara shared her husband's devout Catholic faith and his strong disapproval of their son's most popular shows.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • As many hairstyles and hair colors as Theron has rocked over the years—and there have been many—there was one that got a stamp of disapproval from her daughters.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of disapproval
Noun
  • That same day, the Houthis launched a flurry of attacks that reportedly killed and wounded dozens near the Yemen-Saudi border – sparking condemnation from Jordanian, Bahraini and Kuwaiti authorities.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • What comes next ultimately vindicates Circe’s condemnation of the sailors.
    — Bailey Sincox, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemnation
Noun
  • She’s seen students disappointed by the state’s rejection of an AP African American history course and English teachers strategically pick books that wouldn’t offend the governor’s sensibilities.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Not long ago, many clinicians, including Fejzo’s own doctor, still regarded the illness as a psychological rejection of motherhood, or a bid for attention.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejection
Noun
  • The Ethics Committee investigated the claims before recommending on Monday that the full House censure Edwards.
    — Jeff Ballou, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The House is currently on recess, so the censure itself would not take place until at least September.
    — Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of censure
Noun
  • The truth is that, despite the 2019 Business Roundtable denunciation of MSV, the pendulum never fully swung away from MSV.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • One of the few factors that could impede a Democratic wave in this year’s midterms is the party’s own unpopularity; polling suggests that plenty of voters outside college campuses might also nod along to El-Sayed’s denunciation of Democrats.
    — Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
Definition of denunciation

Browse Nearby Words

thumbs
thumbs-down
thumbs-downs
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Cite this Entry

“Thumbs-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thumbs-down. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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