pry

\ ˈprī

How to pronounce pry (audio)

\

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

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

Definition of pry (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a tool for prying

Examples of pry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Median home pries in the area were up 8% last month from January 2019 levels. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, "D-FW lags U.S. home price gains in fourth-quarter Realtors report," 12 Feb. 2020 Working with a pry bar, officials got one hand out. — Hannah Knowles, Washington Post, "The car fell and crushed her hands while she changed a tire, so she called 911 with her toes," 4 Feb. 2020 There are tweezers, spudgers, and other pry tools for carefully taking apart sensitive components, and a small suction cup for removing glass parts that may be glued down. — Jeff Dunn And Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Guidemaster: Nine gift ideas for the tech enthusiast in your life," 13 Dec. 2019 If necessary, slip a pry bar between the last row and baseboard. — Joesph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "8 Steps for Installing Laminate Flooring," 8 Dec. 2019 The master bedroom had also been ransacked and pry marks were found on the sliding glass door at the rear of the home. — chicagotribune.com, "Lake Barrington man charged with home invasion, battery to an elderly person: Buffalo Grove police," 28 Oct. 2019 The question, however, is whether Modi had any choice in Kashmir and whether, over time, the revocation of an article conceived as temporary breaks the Kashmiri logjam, pries open the stranglehold of corrupt local elites and offers a better future. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, "The Times Columnist Roger Cohen on the Future of India," 24 Sep. 2019 In most of the burglaries, the suspects broke into homes through a rear window, either breaking through the glass or using a pry tool to gain entry. — Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, "San Rafael police arrest two Richmond men in a string of home burglaries," 18 Sep. 2019 The door had pry marks, and the roof and equipment also were damaged, according to the report. — Jennifer James Correspondent, Houston Chronicle, "Friendswood man accused of stealing school bus," 6 Sep. 2019

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.

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Cite this Entry

“Pry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pry. Accessed 1 Jun. 2020.

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