1
as in yanking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
the car bucked and stalled
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in resisting
to refuse to give in to
bucked the trend to outdo everyone else and just wore the same clothes they had in previous years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in handing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
buck each box to the next person in line, and the last person will stack them in the storeroom
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bucking
Racehorses, however, are bucking the trend.
—
Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Walker won that race at a time when Republican politics were transforming with the emergence of the conservative Tea Party bucking the Obama administration.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Almost 10 feet tall and wide, Saint George and the Dragon features a Black man in shorts and a tank top astride a bucking white horse that is set against a floral background.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025
Already, California is bucking the feds by recommending broader access to the COVID-19 vaccine than what the FDA has approved.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
Games included team members trying to stay on a bucking bronco while having footballs fired at them and team members trying to be the first to grab a stationary football from a standing position.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
But Republicans in the majority who sign are bucking the president and party leadership.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Berlin is bucking Europe’s trend of protesting over-tourism by promoting its art scene, clubs, and palaces to would-be visitors wary of anger from locals in places like Italy and Spain.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Some state legislatures are bucking the momentum.
—Jeff Amy, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
Walker won that race at a time when Republican politics were transforming with the emergence of the conservative Tea Party bucking the Obama administration.
—Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Almost 10 feet tall and wide, Saint George and the Dragon features a Black man in shorts and a tank top astride a bucking white horse that is set against a floral background.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025
Already, California is bucking the feds by recommending broader access to the COVID-19 vaccine than what the FDA has approved.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
Games included team members trying to stay on a bucking bronco while having footballs fired at them and team members trying to be the first to grab a stationary football from a standing position.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
But Republicans in the majority who sign are bucking the president and party leadership.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Berlin is bucking Europe’s trend of protesting over-tourism by promoting its art scene, clubs, and palaces to would-be visitors wary of anger from locals in places like Italy and Spain.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Some state legislatures are bucking the momentum.
—Jeff Amy, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bucking
Verb
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In the footage, a uniformed officer is seen forcibly grabbing the female passenger’s arm and yanking her towards the aisle.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Stern is one of several high-profile entertainments hosts who have condemned ABC and Disney for yanking Kimmel off the air.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Yoni Mendez-Lopez, 29, a Mexican national, was taken into custody with a record that includes resisting an officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, assault on a law enforcement officer, driving without a valid license, and attempting to flee to elude law enforcement, according to ICE.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Wood explained that speaking out on her feelings about the sketch was about resisting the instinct to shrink herself.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hamas, in its response, reiterated its longstanding openness to handing power over to a politically independent Palestinian body.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Tuchel called up Anderson for the first time for the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, handing him his debut on September 6, in a 2-0 win over Andorra.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He, too, was bowled over by the film's tear-jerking finale.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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With an epic Oscar-winning title song by Streisand and tear-jerking scenes aplenty, this film is a perennial favorite and often referred to in pop culture.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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More and more coaches are willing to chip pucks behind the defense and let their players chase it, using speed and tenacity to apply pressure and win possession back deep in opposing territory.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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But lawyers opposing the government in at least two of the cases opposed the requests.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just as Erik ten Hag told David de Gea to kick the ball long for the visit of Liverpool in August 2022 after losing his opening two games in charge, Amorim instructed Senne Lammens, on his debut, to not risk an easy concession by passing possession short.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Sanchez led college football in passing yards and touchdown passes while a quarterback at the University of Southern California from 2006 to 2008.—
Alysa Guffey,
Indianapolis Star,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shepp announced that Veal earned the rare Girl Scout Saving Award, an accolade reserved for monumental acts of bravery; Veal, along with her mother, helped save the life of a Sand City Beach fisherman who lost his footing and collapsed, pulling him ashore.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
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The profile image on the chat features a behind-the-scenes snapshot of Bailey with his on-screen brothers Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton) and Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton) pulling silly faces.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bucking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bucking. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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