Avoid
Avoid verb - To get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery.
Thumb
Both words in one sentence
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In Real Life if a helicopter was involved in sinister operations it would probably not be painted black — to avoid the trope and avoid sticking out like a sore thumb.
Source: Black Helicopter -
Hicox seems to avoid this until he orders three Scotches using his index, middle and ring fingers — supposedly like a Brit — as opposed to his index, middle and thumb — like a German.
Source: Film / Inglourious Basterds -
Spongebob Squarepants has an example where he gets a splinter in his thumb while working and is trying to hide it in order to avoid being sent home for injury on the job.
Source: I Am Not Left-Handed
Cite this Source
Thumb and Avoid. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/avoid/thumb
Avoid & Thumb. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/avoid/thumb>.
Thumb or Avoid. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/avoid/thumb.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "avoid" and "thumb" have occurred on timeline