Synonyms of thumbed

thumbed

verb

past tense of thumb

1

as in hitched

to travel by securing free rides

thought I'd thumb into town instead of paying for a cab

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hitched
• hitchhiked
• bummed
• hijacked
• stowed away
• carjacked

2

as in flipped

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

• flipped
• skimmed
• leafed
• riffled
• scanned
• glanced (at)
• browsed
• looked over
• dipped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• studied
• pored (over)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thumbed

Emin’s masterpiece thumbed its nose at a tradition of recumbent feminine flesh on tousled white sheets (think Titian’s Venus of Urbino, Manet’s Olympia, or any number of bosomy Lucian Freud nudes). —Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026

Caleb Foster thumbed over his shoulder to move Cam Boozer. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026

Since the late 1970s, victories at the bargaining table have been less frequent, and UFW leaders admit ranchers thumbed their noses during contract negotiations, daring them to strike. —Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026

When the Chicago Tribune went after him, stirring up the first of many federal, state, and local investigations into Robinson's activities, Noah thumbed his nose. —Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026

House lawyers argued that Bannon had thumbed his nose at the committee and ignored the subpoena. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026

Vonn thumbed her nose at the odds. —Frederick Dreier, Outside, 9 Feb. 2026

Instead of driving it away, King thumbed his nose at the neighbors and moved it into his front driveway. —Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026

Back during the height of covid, the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery thumbed its nose at social-distancing recommendations and crammed upwards of a thousand people into its beer garden for its annual Mecktoberfest. —Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025