1
a
: a small bag carried by a person : purse
b
: a small bag that is sewed or inserted in a garment so that it is open at the top or side
coat pocket
2
: supply of money : means
3
: receptacle, container: such as
a
: an opening at the corner or side of a billiard table
b
: a superficial pouch in some animals
4
: a small often isolated area or group
pockets of unemployment
:
a
: a cavity containing a deposit (as of gold, water, or gas)
b
5
: a place for a batten made by sewing a strip on a sail
6
a
b
: the position of a contestant in a race hemmed in by others
c
: an area formed by blockers from which a football quarterback attempts to pass
7
: the concave area at the base of the finger sections of a baseball glove or mitt in which the ball is normally caught
pocketed; pocketing; pockets
1
a
: to put or enclose in or as if in one's pocket
pocketed the change
b
: to appropriate to one's own use : steal
c
: to refuse assent to (a bill) by a pocket veto
2
: to put up with : accept
3
: to set aside : suppress
pocketed his pride
4
a
: to hem in
b
: to drive (a ball) into a pocket of a pool table
5
: to cover or supply with pockets
Examples of pocket in a Sentence
Noun
He keeps his gloves in his coat pocket.
She was standing there with her hands in her pockets.
I have a hole in my pocket.
Her pocket was full of change.
There are pockets on the back of each car seat.
a zippered pocket on the front of a suitcase
Verb
The chairman was fired for pocketing funds.
The saleswoman had overcharged them and pocketed the difference.
a professional golfer who pocketed more than four million dollars in winnings
I had to pocket my pride and ask for some help.
Adjective
his pocket involvement in the company was minimal
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
One fan, Richard Jakeman, reaches into his pocket and produces a handful of old tickets.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Sun claims, however, that Xiong had hoped to pocket $500,000 and give him only $10 million of the incoming money.
—Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025
Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025
The Vault by Vans x Nicole McLaughlin Collection includes special-edition versions of the iconic Vans Slip-On VP VR3 LX with adaptations—think canvas pockets and easy-carry heel straps—inspired by a classic multi-pocket garden tote and workwear bucket bag often used on construction job sites.
—Hollyanna McCollom, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pocket
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Nearly the entire musical, which is now being revived at Lincoln Center, therefore unfolds with our hero stuck fast inside one of the earth’s narrow pockets, his dwindling awareness reaching out toward the glittering, subterranean volumes all around him.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
One fan, Richard Jakeman, reaches into his pocket and produces a handful of old tickets.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
The 48-year-old instead pocketed a portion of the family’s payment, police said.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Sun claims, however, that Xiong had hoped to pocket $500,000 and give him only $10 million of the incoming money.
—Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Built with water-resistant polyester, this spacious duffel has a dedicated shoe compartment, an end pocket for wet or dirty clothes, a multi-pocket compression panel for organization, and an interior divider curtain that can be removed to hold bulky clothes or outdoor gear.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025
The Vault by Vans x Nicole McLaughlin Collection includes special-edition versions of the iconic Vans Slip-On VP VR3 LX with adaptations—think canvas pockets and easy-carry heel straps—inspired by a classic multi-pocket garden tote and workwear bucket bag often used on construction job sites.
—Hollyanna McCollom, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pocket
Cite this Entry
“Pocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocket. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pock·et
ˈpäk-ət 
1
a
: to put or enclose in a pocket
pocketed the change
b
: to take for one's own use especially dishonestly
pocket the profits
2
: to set aside : suppress
pocketed my anger
3
: to supply with pockets
1
a
: small enough to fit in the pocket
b
: smaller than the usual size
a pocket park
2
: carried in or paid from one's pocket
pocket expenses
Medical Definition
pock·et
ˈpäk-ət
: a small cavity or space
especially
: an abnormal cavity formed in diseased tissue
a gingival pocket
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