pry

verb (1)

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\ ˈprī

pried; prying

Definition of pry

(Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

: to look closely or inquisitively also : to make a nosy or presumptuous inquiry

pry

verb (2)

pried; prying

Definition of pry (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to raise, move, or pull apart with a lever : prize

2 : to extract, detach, or open with difficulty pried the secret out of my sister

pry

noun

Definition of pry (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a tool for prying

2 : leverage

Examples of pry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Exercising the caution of an archaeologist on a dig, Biondo and his team used small pry bars and light hammers to uncover design details long concealed. — Arielle Dollinger, House Beautiful, 3 June 2021 Use a small pry bar with a sharp, wide blade, such as the Restorer’s Cat’s Paw ($19.90 for the eight-inch version at Lee Valley). — Washington Post, 10 May 2021 When the Magna earthquake shook the Salt Lake Valley last March, tiles and bricks fell out of the ceiling at West Lake STEM Junior High with such force that the doors at one entryway were blocked and wouldn’t open without a pry bar. — Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Mar. 2021 Harvest those carefully using a strong knife or small pry bar. — Wes Siler, Outside Online, 9 Mar. 2021 Then use a pry bar to pull off any interior or exterior trim. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2021 On June 2, 2019, Walnut Creek 911 received several calls about Hall threatening family members and walking around the neighborhood with a long metal pry bar, causing a commotion. — Christina Maxouris, CNN, 22 Sep. 2020 Median home pries in the area were up 8% last month from January 2019 levels. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2020 Working with a pry bar, officials got one hand out. — Hannah Knowles, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.