1
as in bobbing
to make short up-and-down movements
the thighs of the bicyclists were pumping furiously as they neared the finish line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in interrogating
to put a series of questions to
prying neighbors pumped the guileless child for information about the family's new pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in draining
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
pumped water from the well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 pumping
The Federal Reserve only just started bringing down short-term interest rates in recent months after pumping them up in the last two years to address inflation.
—
Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025
When pumping was sped up, the water created a vortex in each opening that allowed water, but not particles, through.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 31 Dec. 2024
Asher said states and local governments, as well as philanthropies, are pumping money into programs to bring down violent crime.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
The plan calls for pumping nearly a million cubic yards of sand from offshore deposits onto the beach, holding the sand there between two artificial headlands and building an artificial reef to protect it.
—Philip Diehl, The Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2024
Jones sprinted to the middle of the field, bouncing up and down, excitedly pumping his right fist.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The latest pummeling from the ocean worries officials and some locals, who wonder how common such dangerously strong and frequent waves may become in Santa Cruz, worsened by a warming climate that is raising sea levels and pumping more energy into the waves.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The hill, a 500-foot run with a 60-foot drop, is a sure-fire way for riders to get their hearts pumping.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 25 Dec. 2024
The rules govern the operations of dams, aqueducts and pumping plants in the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two of the world’s largest water systems, which deliver supplies to Central Valley farmlands and about 30 million people.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025
When pumping was sped up, the water created a vortex in each opening that allowed water, but not particles, through.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 31 Dec. 2024
Asher said states and local governments, as well as philanthropies, are pumping money into programs to bring down violent crime.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
The plan calls for pumping nearly a million cubic yards of sand from offshore deposits onto the beach, holding the sand there between two artificial headlands and building an artificial reef to protect it.
—Philip Diehl, The Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2024
Jones sprinted to the middle of the field, bouncing up and down, excitedly pumping his right fist.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The latest pummeling from the ocean worries officials and some locals, who wonder how common such dangerously strong and frequent waves may become in Santa Cruz, worsened by a warming climate that is raising sea levels and pumping more energy into the waves.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The hill, a 500-foot run with a 60-foot drop, is a sure-fire way for riders to get their hearts pumping.
—Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 25 Dec. 2024
The rules govern the operations of dams, aqueducts and pumping plants in the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two of the world’s largest water systems, which deliver supplies to Central Valley farmlands and about 30 million people.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping
Verb
-
Symptoms like a fast heart rate, or shortness of breath, shaking and chills, confusion or lethargy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
-
In the video, a terrified Archie can be seen frozen, staring and shaking.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The authors came by their number after examining scientific papers about human feats of speed, then applying methods from the field of information theory to calculate how quickly the brain processes thoughts in these situations.—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
31 Dec. 2024
-
Investigators are examining bird strikes, whether any of the aircraft's control systems were disabled, and the apparent rush by the pilots to attempt a landing soon after declaring an emergency as possible factors in the crash, fire and transportation officials have said.—
Ju-min Park and Hongji Kim,
USA TODAY,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Directed by Robert Eggers, the gothic horror film sees newlyweds Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) haunted by the treacherous, blood-sucking Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
30 Dec. 2024
-
This time around, even critics were convinced, joining in with libidinous fans to praise the blood-sucking second season, which was recently nominated for two Critics Choice Awards after being largely snubbed by voting bodies last year.—
Elaina Patton,
NBC News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Despite more positive reports in previous months, concerns remain about the economic outlook, leaving policymakers and businesses questioning whether the downturn in confidence will translate to slower growth in 2024.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Singing on the beach under the stars may not stop people (or me) from questioning the legitimacy of my Asian identity, but these moments bond me to the community and culture of my grandparents.—
Acacia Gabriel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pumping
Cite this Entry
“Pumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share