1
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
chiefly Southern & Midland
as in pouch
a container made of a flexible material (as paper or plastic)
the old warning against buying a pig in a poke
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
saw his head poking through the window
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
told him to stop poking into other people's business
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3
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of poke
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
There would be a smaller incision, almost like a poke for an IV.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
The sun will poke back out in full force on Sunday, June 21, with daily highs in the upper 90s and heat index values over 100 degrees.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
Noun
If your everyday bra is worn out, replace it with this scalloped bra that provides padded support — without uncomfortable underwire that digs and pokes.
—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
There would be a smaller incision, almost like a poke for an IV.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
The self-aware series pokes fun at the teenage superhero subgenre, toying with the way superpowers interfere with daily life.
—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
The sun will poke back out in full force on Sunday, June 21, with daily highs in the upper 90s and heat index values over 100 degrees.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poke
Noun
-
Records of public meetings and community newspapers feature jabs at how far these sorry kinsmen have strayed from their heritage.
-
With a subtle jab at city life there, Deuso is making history in a community that doesn't even seem to notice.
Noun
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Emotionally, militarily, even symbolically, this is a devastating blow to the Black Queen and her cause.
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When Lucerys refuses, Aemond chases Lucerys on his dragon, seemingly meaning to injure him rather than kill him, but his dragon, Vhagar, delivers a fatal blow to Rhaenyra’s son.
Noun
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In recent weeks, Avila Chevalier has been under a microscope for her past tweets, including posts calling for defunding the police and abolishing the border, alongside harsh insults of big-name Democrats such as former Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
Noun
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The small nylon and leather pouches attached to belt loops also stood out as an interesting styling detail.
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Who’d have guessed that such a practical pouch could be so pretty?
Verb
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And while certainly shaken up, the driver and passenger (also test dummies in this case) likely could have walked away without being struck by shattered glass or a protruding antler.
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The problem was that many of them protruded from the front of vehicles like miniature medieval weapons.
Verb
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Negrón also referred to the Justice Department and its Office of Government Ethics, the findings of an internal investigation led by the economic development agency against two government officials, who are accused of interfering in the process for an auction of a contract involving federal funds.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America undertake to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs.
Verb
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The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.
-
Robertson answered any lingering questions about his game with his franchise-caliber play.
Verb
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As the conflict in the Middle East has dragged on, pressure has been building on Capitol Hill to intervene.
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In an unprecedented moved in May, Lebanon filed a formal complaint against Iran at the United Nations Security Council, directly accusing Tehran of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations for interfering in its sovereign decisions and dragging the country into war.
Cite this Entry
“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poke. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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