pluck

1 of 2

verb

ˈplək 

plucked; plucking; plucks

transitive verb

1

: to pull or pick off or out

plucking feathers

2

a

: to remove something (such as feathers or hairs) from by or as if by plucking

pluck a chicken

pluck one's eyebrows

b

: rob, fleece

3

: to move, remove, or separate forcibly or abruptly

plucked the child from the middle of the street

4

a

: to pick, pull, or grasp at

plucked the map down from the wall

b

: to play by sounding the strings with the fingers or a pick

plucking a banjo

intransitive verb

: to make a sharp pull or twitch

plucker noun

pluck

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act or instance of plucking or pulling

2

: the heart, liver, lungs, and trachea of a slaughtered animal especially as an item of food

3

: courageous readiness to fight or continue against odds : dogged resolution

It took pluck to speak before such a tough crowd.

Synonyms of pluck

Verb

• squeeze
• sting
• hustle
• cheat
• stick
• beat
• screw
• do

Noun

• pull
• tug
• yank

Examples of pluck in a Sentence

Verb

My sister plucked a white hair from my head.

The hunter plucked the bird's feathers.

plucking petals off a flower

Firefighters plucked the child from the top floor of the burning building.

He'd been plucked from obscurity and thrust into the national spotlight.

a cat that was plucked off the city's streets last winter

He plucked a stone out of the river.

Noun

It takes pluck to do what she did.

She showed pluck in getting up on stage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Regime change, as it has been practiced and discussed in international politics, refers to something far more ambitious and far more consequential than plucking out a single leader. —Andrew Latham, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026

Michigan has plucked a handful of players from out west, including Colston Loveland and Mason Graham, but the bulk of Michigan’s recruiting happens east of the Rockies. —Austin Meek, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

Noun

Democrats, it must be noted, who have to be convinced that Conway’s pluck is sufficient to send him back to Washington. —Philip Elliott, Time, 6 Jan. 2026

The promoter likes her pluck, and offers her a contract. —Jocelyn Noveck, Boston Herald, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English pluccian; akin to Middle High German pflücken to pluck

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pluck

• pluck at
• pluck up (the) courage

Rhymes for pluck

• chuck
• cluck
• duck
• huck
• luck
• muck
• puck
• ruck
• schmuck
• shuck
• snuck
• struck

Kids Definition

pluck

1 of 2 verb

ˈplək 

1

a

: to pull or pick off or out

pluck a flower

b

: to remove something (as feathers) from by or as if by plucking

pluck a chicken

2

: to move or separate forcibly : snatch

plucked the child from danger

3

: to play by pulling the strings

pluck a guitar

plucker noun

pluck

2 of 2 noun

1

: a sharp pull : tug

2

: courage, spirit