thumbtack

American  

[thuhm-tak] / ˈθʌmˌtæk /

noun

• thumbtacks
  plural

1. a tack with a large, flat head, designed to be thrust into a board or other fairly soft object or surface by the pressure of the thumb.

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verb (used with object)

1. to attach or tack by means of a thumbtack.

thumbtack British  

/ ˈθʌmˌtæk /

noun

1. Also called (esp in Britain): drawing pin.  a short tack with a broad smooth head for fastening papers to a drawing board, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• thumbtacks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of thumbtack

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; thumb + tack ¹

Compare meaning

How does thumbtack compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• thumbtack vs. pushpin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thumbtack thumbtacks

The methyl group acts like a tiny thumbtack set out on the seat the antibiotic was hoping to take, Polikanov said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2024

Broadcaster TVE showed a thumbtack that its reporter on a motorbike found on the course.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

“Honey! Did you see the picture of Angie’s labradoodle?” she might ask as I walked into her small white room to thumbtack another family photo to the otherwise bare walls.

From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2023

You might even wish to write down what you feel, laminate it and thumbtack it to a free-standing bulletin board for all to see.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 19, 2018

When he was at last nestled upon his perch, he looked like an eggplant balanced atop a thumbtack.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

They’ve come to this cesspool to find the villainous Krem, an unrecognizably vile Matthias Schoenaerts with a mug that’s been pierced all over like he face-planted into a pile of thumbtacks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

Both defending champion Remco Evenepoel of Soudal-Quickstep and two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard had punctures, according to their teams, although neither specified if they were caused by thumbtacks.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

While we are on ravioli, even if they are stuffed with thumbtacks and rusty pennies, they are better than spaghetti.

From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2023

“You use thumbtacks, Tiona uses a razor blade,” Sadie Barnette, who shared residency time with her in 2018 at the Skowhegan School, said of her precision.

From New York Times ● Aug. 4, 2022

The little holes in that wall in the strip mall— maybe a map that plotted points with thumbtacks?

From "Paper Towns" by John Green