noun
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the nail of the thumb
-
(modifier) concise and brief
a thumbnail sketch
-
computing a small image which can be expanded
Etymology
Origin of thumbnail
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.
Gensler’s daughter created the show’s thumbnail art; his son-in-law built its website.
From Barron's • Apr. 18, 2026
On X, Kurt Caz dismissed criticism of the thumbnail as "clickbait" and said "if you're going to do a hit piece on me do it properly".
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
But if that thumbnail sketch makes “Lux” sound like homework, the songs themselves are immediate and visceral, and the singer’s impassioned delivery is an invitation to listen more closely.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025
But the movie’s verité style of thumbnail portraiture doesn’t always dovetail neatly with the other elements: the unloading of facts, getting those drone shots in and projecting a thriller-like atmosphere.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025
He stood by the smaller fire in front of the doorway, gnawing his thumbnail and glaring at Torak.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.