as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
some lowlife who had been in and out of hock most of his adult life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to pawn
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan
the prince had to hock the family jewels to pay his gambling debts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hock
Sheila Yount, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025
Heaped upon it: pork products representing every hue on the glistening spectrum from brown to pink (rosy ham hock, charred pork belly, thick shoulder slices, a common hot dog).
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
John Hollinger, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
If Emily can be in Paris and Rome, why can’t Robert be in Joshua Tree hocking ayahuasca?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hock
Noun
While the addition of ham hocks, salt pork or bacon to a pot of peas certainly won't place the meal in the heart-healthy category, the peas themselves provide good nutrition.
—Sheila Yount, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025
Heaped upon it: pork products representing every hue on the glistening spectrum from brown to pink (rosy ham hock, charred pork belly, thick shoulder slices, a common hot dog).
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Verb
Despite the league’s highest payroll and having already hocked any draft pick that wasn’t nailed down (some of them more than once), the Suns fell 15-18 on the season.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
If Emily can be in Paris and Rome, why can’t Robert be in Joshua Tree hocking ayahuasca?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hock
Noun
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The Sacramento Police Department initially arrested Hernandez Santana, before he was released from the jail hours later after posting a $200,000 bail bond.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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Rachel Fyall, associate professor at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, said the cost of not housing people includes emergency room care, jail cells and police on the street.—
Ashley Hiruko,
ProPublica,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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He had been spotted in the Bronx early Tuesday trying to pawn a pair of cellphones.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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McGriff, who was spotted in the Bronx earlier Tuesday trying to pawn a pair of cell phones, is now being sought by the NYPD and the regional Fugitive Task Force, Tisch said.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Just up the way, the old penitentiary building is famously open for tours and purportedly haunted.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Oct. 2025
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He was pronounced dead by lethal injection at 6:40 p.m. at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The commission reports the use of the ATMs by scammers, who urge consumers to deposit cash into them to protect their savings, is on the rise.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Oct. 2025
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Herman had his clients’ settlement funds deposited into his trust account, as is standard, then never turned over the money to his clients.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The story would feature voluminous evidence, including Salvadoran intelligence reports, government documents and even prison logs recording the visits of Luna and other Bukele aides to MS-13 leaders.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Both Menendez brothers remain in prison after having been denied parole in August of this year, and, in September, a judge denied their petition for a new trial.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hock. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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