hocks 1 of 2

noun

plural of hock
as in penitentiaries
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

hocks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hock
as in pawns
to leave as a guarantee of repayment of a loan the prince had to hock the family jewels to pay his gambling debts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hocks
Noun
The simple combo of navy beans, smoked ham hocks, onion, and butter is still the best way to start a meal here. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
So too are editor Pauline Gaillard’s sharp cuts, which are often timed exactly to coincide with the moment that someone lost in faraway thought finishes swirling their mouthful of Pinot Noir and hocks it unceremoniously into a nearby receptacle. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hocks
  1. penitentiaries
  2. deposits
  3. jails
  4. mortgages
  5. prisons
  6. pens
  7. joints
Noun
  • Mexico has 276 prisons, including 14 federal penitentiaries and 249 state prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Hodge says he was abused in multiple federal penitentiaries, but was frequently blocked from filing complaints about it.
    — Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of penitentiaries
Verb
  • How cosmetic tattoos create faux freckles According to Allure’s guide to permanent makeup, an artist deposits pigment into the skin with a needle, placing individual dots across the cheeks and nose.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There’s no shortage of hotels to choose from, but guests of the Table Bay have prime access, thanks to an elevator in the lobby that deposits them right by Woolworth’s.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of deposits
Noun
  • No record of Gutierrez’s arrest appears in an online database maintained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which oversees county jails, suggesting that he may have been booked in the LAPD’s detention facilities.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike municipalities, Florida sheriffs offices and county jails were mandated to sign 287(g) agreements.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of jails
Verb
  • So my guess/belief/thought is that the executive trio is hoping for the best this year, but is unwilling to do anything that mortgages future seasons.
    — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • Those are the players in recent memory who’ve commanded the kind of draft capital that reshapes franchises — the sort of seismic move that mortgages a future and, in return, attaches expectations normally reserved for franchise-carrying superstars.
    — Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
Definition of mortgages
Noun
  • The Israeli Supreme Court earlier this year ordered the government to resume sharing such lists and allowing the ICRC to visit detainees in Israeli prisons to assess their conditions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Flávio has promised to designate major criminal factions as terrorist groups, expand prisons and lower the age of criminal responsibility.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of prisons
Noun
  • Students caught with e-cigarettes or vape pens can receive at least 10 days of in-school suspension.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Some 104,643 defective pens were returned in the first 8 months of sales.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of pens
Noun
  • The roots infiltrate through tiny joints or cracks, expand from inside, and the pipe collapses gradually.
    — Steven John, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The sauna increases blood flow and circulation, helping sore joints recover faster.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of joints

Browse Nearby Words

hocking
hocks
hocus-pocus
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Cite this Entry

“Hocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hocks. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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