1
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
chiefly Southern & Midland
as in pouch
a container made of a flexible material (as paper or plastic)
the old warning against buying a pig in a poke
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
saw his head poking through the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
told him to stop poking into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of poke
Stella Fong, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
The casual pan-Asian eatery on the north end of Mass Ave also offers poke ($17 to $18), sushi rolls and sashimi ($10 to $18) along with a handful of appetizers like dumplings, egg rolls and tempura, all of which cost $5.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The Thorns forward poked the ball through and Ball kicked her leg into Wilson’s path, taking her down inside the box.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
Noun
Scoop the poke into a medium serving bowl.
—Stella Fong, Outside, 10 Mar. 2026
The casual pan-Asian eatery on the north end of Mass Ave also offers poke ($17 to $18), sushi rolls and sashimi ($10 to $18) along with a handful of appetizers like dumplings, egg rolls and tempura, all of which cost $5.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
Tatis reached out to poke the ball into right field and drive in the game’s first run.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The Thorns forward poked the ball through and Ball kicked her leg into Wilson’s path, taking her down inside the box.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poke
Verb
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In the video, large swaths of brown earth can be seen protruding patches of mountain snow.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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Or if a finger was so sliced open that the bone protruded.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During the arrest, a large crowd surrounded officers and interfered by yelling profanities and racial slurs, police said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
-
That was an aesthetic choice but also a practical one — of not wanting to interfere in their creative process.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But Paddack won’t let the sting linger.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That said, its opposition to severe Pluto presses against your dependable 6th house, potentially dragging you away from rest.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports if the budget impasse drags on, the agency’s acting head said yesterday, even as record wait times for travelers did little to end the standoff over the funding fight in Congress.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Most bites occur when people mess with snakes, Magee said.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
So no need to mess with rebates or even TrumpRx.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But they are really designed and developed to crawl over and destroy everything.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Maritime trade is crawling at Georgia’s ports, but the state authority that operates the nation’s third-busiest cargo terminals isn’t throttling back its expansion efforts.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The technology is sweeping almost every profession while also creeping into people’s personal lives, sometimes with devastating consequences.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Her works explored Oedipal urges and creeping fascism.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Sonny eventually passes out, Chee starts doing some snooping around.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Although privacy advocates have praised the ability of encryption to effectively scramble messages so third parties are unable to snoop on people’s conversations, various members of law enforcement have said that doing so impedes their ability to investigate certain crimes.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poke. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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