plural thumbs
1
: the short thick digit of the human hand that is analogous in position to the big toe and differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, allowing greater freedom of movement, and being opposable to each of them
also
: a corresponding digit in lower animals
2
: the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb
3
: something resembling or suggesting a thumb
I steep the tea with a thumb of ginger, which brings a lovely hint of spice …—
Sarah Nasello
Sarah NaselloI stop for a while among the crowds at the Pinnacle, a thumb of rock protruding from the rim of the Wonderland Range above Halls Gap.—Andrew Bain
Andrew Bain4
: a convex molding : ovolo
thumbed; thumbing; thumbs
1
: to turn over pages
thumb through a book
1
: to request or obtain (a ride) in a passing automobile by signaling with the thumb
2
a
: to leaf through (pages) with the thumb : turn
b
: to soil or wear by or as if by repeated thumbing
a badly thumbed book
Phrases
all thumbs
: extremely awkward or clumsy
: under control : in a state of subservience
her father did not have her that much under his thumb—Hamilton Basso
Hamilton Basso1
: to express disdain or defiance
thumb their nose at opulence—Sales Management
Sales Management2
: to place the thumb at one's nose and extend the fingers as a gesture of scorn or defiance
Examples of thumb in a Sentence
Noun
a little girl sucking her thumb
I accidentally cut my thumb.
My mitten has a hole in the thumb.
Verb
I thumbed a ride to school.
He thumbed his way to New York.
He thumbed across the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2025
And then, sticking out like a sore thumb amidst all these names, is Mamukelashvili.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Before Drew could say anything, Mike thumbed his collar and wandered off, still gazing at the color wheel.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thumb
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The meetings offer the latest signs that Senate Democrats are still weighing how heavily to put their thumbs on the scale for a particular candidate.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2025
And then, sticking out like a sore thumb amidst all these names, is Mamukelashvili.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Since then, several states have thumbed their nose at the order.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Before Drew could say anything, Mike thumbed his collar and wandered off, still gazing at the color wheel.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thumb
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Thumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thumb. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thumb
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the short thick first finger of the human hand next to the index finger
b
: the similar structure in lower animals
2
: the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb
thumb
2 of 2 verb1
: to turn pages with the thumb
thumb through a book
2
: to seek or get a ride in a passing automobile by sticking out one's thumb
Medical Definition
thumb
noun
: the short and thick first or most preaxial digit of the human hand that differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, in having greater freedom of movement, and in being opposable to the other fingers
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