: an instance or gesture of approval or encouragement

Examples of thumbs-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The man came back, hurrying down the drive, and gave me a thumbs-up. Literary Hub, 29 July 2025 Then, in a video that now has more than 10 million views on Instagram, Blue pointed and flashed another thumbs-up. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 25 July 2025 Namely, create an order of weekly essential products based on a customer’s shopping behavior, and place the order with essentially a thumbs-up from the customer. Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 24 July 2025 The essence of the review is evaluation, which of course doesn’t imply the crude simplicity of a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for thumbs-up

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thumbs-up was in 1892

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Cite this Entry

“Thumbs-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thumbs-up. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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