thumb
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Nothing went right for Pakistan, from the moment captain Babar Azam was ruled out with a thumb injury.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“I’m not a huge fan of rules of thumb in the first place,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
If you feel compelled to comment on a famous woman’s body, a good rule of thumb to remember is “don’t.”
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
If Yale had been treated like an individual investor, Ang’s rule of thumb suggests that Swensen’s epic return would have been slashed to about 8.7% annually after tax.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
It had a hole I could stick my thumb through, and bits of thistle somehow poked through the stitches.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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You cannot apply logic to his work — every choice thumbs its nose at the real world — and I rarely like the overall result.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
A few days later, a woman stood outside the window – gesturing a thumbs down.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
How have they built entire cities and extensive infrastructure with no thumbs?
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
As one former senior official says: "Vetting is a process, not a point, it's not like a test you pass or fail - it's about managing risk, not big thumbs up or down."
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
Bull turned to Brannon and received a thumbs down signal.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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He has largely thumbed his nose at them over the Epstein files.
From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026
In October, I thumbed through snapshots my mother had stashed in albums, envelopes and shoeboxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
While other kids were popping CDs into their center consoles, Dudelson thumbed through bins of one-dollar records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2025
Guests thumbed through the order of service, which one Muslim guest in the pews said was “very helpful” for navigating the Christian ceremony.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 3, 2024
I thumbed through a stack of papers, enjoying the smell of ink and newsprint.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
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If you are thumbing through the brochure/paperwork, it will be there in black and white.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 24, 2026
Watching the show felt like thumbing through TikTok, assaulted by walls of sound, garish ads and the occasional familiar face.
From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026
And arm yourself with simple pantry staples that you can graze on lazily, ideally while peeling a clementine and thumbing a paperback.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
He points out that engineers are no different from the rest of us when it comes to thumbing through a manual.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2024
In a flash, Rhoda was out of her chair, kneeling by Beto and thumbing away his tears.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
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Vocabulary lists containing thumb
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Lesson 16
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