THUMBING Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

thumbing

verb

present participle of thumb

as in hitching

to travel by securing free rides thought I'd thumb into town instead of paying for a cab

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in flipping

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 thumbing Neon seems to be thumbing its nose at its biggest rival A24 by planning a competing horror film based on the online universe of writing called the SCP Foundation. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026 This is an entire class of wealthy and unaccountable men thumbing their noses at the American public. — Abigail Disney, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026 British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is handing Ukraine the blueprints to a valuable piece of his country’s military technology, thumbing his nose at a Kremlin that says the United Kingdom is now a party in the conflict. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026 Hawkins, by contrast, almost seems to be thumbing his nose at the whole concept of existing as a complex, nuanced human being. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026 In one scene, a pair of revellers dance naked just outside the fence of the Calvary Cemetery, thumbing their noses at the reaper while the Manhattan skyline towers in the distance. — Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 That’s sacrilege on par with an Ohioan disowning football or a Texan recoiling at the smell of brisket, a Kentuckian thumbing his nose at college basketball. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 July 2026 For months, this young, rambunctious, and altogether infectious bunch played with house money, thumbing their collective noses at the idea of another year of rebuild futility. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026 Why did Lucas take the note from De Palma while thumbing his nose at studio suggestions? — Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thumbing

Verb

For programmers, hitching their wagon to a large-scale tech platform is often worth giving up consumer data and revenue.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
After sunset, when everyone lopes back from the beach, there are a few couples hitching their gear onto motor scooters and a few families carrying babies, bags, and boards, toddlers in tow.

— Michelle Jana Chan, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of hitching

Verb

Advertisement Here’s what experts think could be behind the apparent shift in voters’ sentiments—and how real the chance of the governorship flipping really is.

— Chantelle Lee, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
With the genre’s scarcity on the charts in 2026 — so far, Drake is the only rapper to notch a top 10 hit on the Hot 100 this year as a lead artist — flipping a once-big hit might seem like an easy remedy.

— Michael Saponara, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of flipping

Verb

Her body-skimming black gown with its waistcoat bodice from Patrick McDowell’s fall 2026 collection and Bulgari diamonds added that glamorous edge.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
With a sky-skimming infinity pool, the longest in Palma, that brings the Balearic sea right up to the feet of the Balinese sunbeds, El Llorenç’s rooftop is glorious.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026