thumbs up

noun

A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

“He smiled and gave a big thumbs up.”

Opposite
thumbs down
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Meanings

nounthumbs up (plural thumbs ups or thumbs up)

plural thumbs ups · alternative thumbs-up · alternative thumb up · alternative thumb-up

  1. A gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

    He smiled and gave a big thumbs up.

    Antonyms: thumbs down

  2. figurativelyAn approval or OK.

    We got the thumbs up to go ahead with the project.

    Antonyms: thumbs down

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA gesture signifying approval or okay; a thumb pointing up out of a fist.

Opposite
thumbs down

nounAn approval or OK.

Opposite
thumbs down
Also see
ok

Origin

Said to refer to the signal of approval or disapproval used by spectators at a Roman amphitheatre, but the directions have been reversed, and the Roman gesture was a bent thumb.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan vistiplau, aprovació
  • vistiplauan approval or OK
  • aprovacióan approval or OK
  • conformitatan approval or OK
Dutch duimpje omhoog, dikke duim
  • duimpje omhooga gesture signifying approval or okay
  • dikke duima gesture signifying approval or okay
  • dikke duiman approval or OK
Hindi जयकार, विजयोत्सव
  • जयकार (jaykār)a gesture signifying approval or okay
  • विजयोत्सव (vijyotsav)a gesture signifying approval or okay
Korean 엄지척, 따봉
  • 엄지척 (eomjicheok)a gesture signifying approval or okay
  • 따봉 (ttabong)a gesture signifying approval or okay
Portuguese joinha, fixe
  • joinhaa gesture signifying approval or okay
  • fixea gesture signifying approval or okay
  • joiaan approval or OK
Spanish pulgar arriba, pulgar bueno
  • pulgar arribaa gesture signifying approval or okay
  • pulgar buenoa gesture signifying approval or okay
  • aprobaciónan approval or OK
  • asensoan approval or OK
Swedish tumme upp, tummen upp
  • tumme uppa gesture signifying approval or okay
  • tummen uppa gesture signifying approval or okay
  • tumme uppan approval or OK
  • tummen uppan approval or OK
  • grönt ljusan approval or OK
Cite this entry
APA

thumbs up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumbs%20up

MLA

“thumbs up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumbs%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thumbs up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumbs%20up.

Source: thumbs up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.