pluck

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

Synonyms of pluck

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

Examples of pluck in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

After the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto) snatches his parents, Adam is plucked out of Eternia and returns years later from the human world to assume his true identity as He-Man and save the planet. —Matt Minton, Variety, 6 June 2026

No plucking figures from the sky. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 5 June 2026

The footwear had a vintage aura, and paired with her white knee-high socks and polka dot dress, the singer-songwriter almost looked plucked out of the London mod scene of the ’60s. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 4 June 2026

Eastland survivor Libby Hruby told those assembled for the dedication of the marker on June 4, 1989, that she was plucked from the water by her sister. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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