at the pump

phrase

variants or less commonly at the pumps
US, informal
: at the places where customers buy gasoline for their cars
Prices are higher at the pump.
Expect long lines at the pumps this weekend.

Examples of at the pump 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.
Members must enter their phone number at the pump or inside during checkout to get the discount. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 The pain at the pump has drawn close attention, but less focus has been paid to a slowdown in wage increases that has coincided with the surge in costs. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Michigan drivers are seeing some relief at the pump, as gas prices in the state dropped 21 cents from a week ago, according to AAA. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Stocks jumped and Brent crude prices plunged Tuesday after the US signaled a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be imminent, but the drop is unlikely to translate to immediate relief at the pump. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at the pump

Rhymes for at the pump

See All Rhymes for at the pump

Browse Nearby Words

at the present time
at the pump
at the ready
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At the pump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20pump. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All