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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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
Several smaller jewel-encrusted items, such as a thumb ring, appear almost slight in comparison.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
He held his thumb and forefinger in a circle over his eye in celebration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
Jockey Frankie Dettori suffered several broken ribs and a broken thumb after being involved in a car crash, his management has said.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
She motioned over her shoulder with her thumb.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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After the first defendant, O'Dare was sentenced and taken into the dock, people in the public gallery shouted "love you Ash" and gave thumbs up and shouts of support.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
How have they built entire cities and extensive infrastructure with no thumbs?
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
Jones was in the arena conducting an interview with the Netflix broadcast team when he received the challenge and gave a thumbs up amid the crowd’s cheers.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026
And until the software catches up to our thumbs, the best defense against typos is decidedly low-tech: Read your message before you hit Send.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
I give her a smile, two thumbs up, and one raised eyebrow.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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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
She has thumbed through the padded folder of nearby restaurants.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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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
Now he’s just thumbing his nose at his attackers.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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Vocabulary lists containing thumb
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Lesson 16
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