1
as in yanking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
the car bucked and stalled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bucking
Colorado was among the top states in the nation for Democratic performance in the 2024 election, bucking what was otherwise a red wave that handed control of the White House and Congress to Republicans.
—
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
But some areas, including those struck by war and natural disasters, or those in countries with effective light pollution and energy-saving policies in place, are bucking the trend.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Duchamp’s artworks resisted performing as expected, bucking tradition and function.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
In the case of Absolute Batman, sales continue to rise, bucking normal publishing trends that see a drop or leveling off of sales.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
Some of our stocks bucking Thursday’s down market include Corning , Linde and Costco .
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
America's birth rate is falling, but one Maryland doctor says a group is bucking the trend in a big way.
—Crystal McQuay, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Kings are also bucking history since 18 of their losses have come in either overtime or a shootout.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, cable companies like Spectrum have found a way to entice consumers by adding to their traditional bundle with ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, HBO Max, Paramount+ and more, creating a slight uptick in Spectrum’s subscriber numbers and bucking what had been a steep trend downward.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
But some areas, including those struck by war and natural disasters, or those in countries with effective light pollution and energy-saving policies in place, are bucking the trend.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Duchamp’s artworks resisted performing as expected, bucking tradition and function.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
In the case of Absolute Batman, sales continue to rise, bucking normal publishing trends that see a drop or leveling off of sales.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
Some of our stocks bucking Thursday’s down market include Corning , Linde and Costco .
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
America's birth rate is falling, but one Maryland doctor says a group is bucking the trend in a big way.
—Crystal McQuay, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Kings are also bucking history since 18 of their losses have come in either overtime or a shootout.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, cable companies like Spectrum have found a way to entice consumers by adding to their traditional bundle with ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, HBO Max, Paramount+ and more, creating a slight uptick in Spectrum’s subscriber numbers and bucking what had been a steep trend downward.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bucking
Verb
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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra believed Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball should have been ejected after yanking on star center Bam Adebayo’s foot, causing an injury to his lower back.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The video shows the pacing man pounding on the front door and attempting to kick it in before yanking down a hanging doorbell fixture near the entryway and hurling it at the doorway.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The plainclothes detectives, who were wearing NYPD vests, then dragged Brown on the floor, over shards of broken glass, to the front of the store, ordering him to stop resisting.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Kessman suggests resisting the temptation to start deep-cleaning or creating an entire organizing system at this stage.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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It's fueled accusations of human rights abuses and arbitrary detention, but also sharply dipped homicide rates in a country long terrorized by gangs, handing Bukele soaring popularity levels.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Thirty percent tips should be reserved for meals where the server is at least grabbing me a drink and clearing a plate, not handing me heat-lamp-languishing food in a 10-second interaction.—
Allyson Reedy,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tony Fauci was not just jerking the country around.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The clip on TikTok shows the seat jerking abruptly, apparently from forceful pushes by the person seated behind her.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
City attorneys used the digital program to transfer discovery to opposing counsel and litigants.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
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But opposing Russian influence in domestic politics does not inherently mean blindly supporting Ukrainian interests.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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McDavid reached 1,220 career points, passing Jeremy Roenick, Larry Murphy and Jean Beliveau to advance to 47th on the NHL list.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Other demands from the Iranian delegation included the release of $6 billion in frozen assets, guarantees around its nuclear program and the right to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rodriguez was seen on camera sitting behind the boy and pulling his arms behind his back causing his shoulders to flare out, police say.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
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Last week, the archdiocese accused CPS of abruptly pulling the funding from only Catholic schools before the school year ended, even questioning if the district had mismanaged money and if the district was targeting their religious schools.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile the Caliente Range — those mountains just to the west — are lurching the opposite way.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Still, morale is much worse compared with December 2024, before DOGE took aim at the health agency's budgets and staffing, and before rounds of lurching job cuts and reinstatements left thousands of CDC workers in limbo or severed from their careers.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bucking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bucking. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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