1
as in scooping
to lift out with something that holds liquid
bucketing water from the well, we raced to put out the fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shaking
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
getting the troops into the bucketing landing craft proved to be challenging
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bucketing
Six months later, the internship — some of which bore all the glamour of scrubbing bird poop and bucketing hundreds of pounds of fish as dolphin food — developed into a full-time gig as a trainer.
—
Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bucketing
Verb
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So where did this period-scooping myth come from?—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
28 Jan. 2026
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Two coolers were used for scooping ice under a shaded tent, while the other two sat in direct sun.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Figure skater Amber Glenn skated off the ice, shaking her head after an early landing bobble during today's competition.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
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Both physical strength and constant mental attention are required for this sport in order to control heart rate and shaking in the muscles.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Scooting is often a sign that your dog’s anal glands are full, irritated or not emptying properly.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Start by emptying shelves, removing all items, one shelf at a time.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The room sighs in relief a second later when Buckley reanimates, jerking and flailing like a soul possessed, grinning maniacally — all on purpose, inspired by the earlier veil snafu.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Feb. 2026
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Some signs that the carburetor is clogged on a snow blower are starting then dying a few seconds afterward, jerking, sputtering noises, and black smoke emitting from the exhaust.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But your interest in separating eggs, stirring continuously, sifting or spooning or levelling flour—in short, your interest in baking—is a lie, although your interest in baked goods remains very much true.—
Talia Argondezzi,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
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Serve hot over mashed potatoes, spooning sauce over chicken.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The island's stunning Blue Lagoon starkly contrasts tropical shores vibrating with life during the rainier months.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
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Someone’s phone is always vibrating, a gimmick that often strikes me as contrived in a movie-movie but feels totally normalized in a reality-movie like The Moment.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Most of the camp was enclosed with an electrified fence, to keep out the Big Men, the massive, shuddering ursids that could not be named (more on that later).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Dec. 2025
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With haunted vocal multitracking and big, shuddering beats, the album builds to a climax in which hope and fear are swept into the same rush of human experience.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Few things shake the confidence of a person like crawling to the top bunk of a quivering bed frame, your feet wrapping uncomfortably along the frail metal rungs of the ladder.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
27 Jan. 2026
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Over the years, Andrews has garnered comparisons to fellow Arizona native Linda Ronstadt for her rich, clear tone, which can modulate from quivering vibrato to crystalline belt on a dime.—
Lily Goldberg,
Pitchfork,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bucketing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bucketing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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