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
Southern field peas and smoky ham hocks go together like Johnny and June. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hocks
  1. penitentiaries
  2. deposits
  3. jails
  4. mortgages
  5. prisons
  6. pens
  7. joints
Noun
  • This includes providing the Colombian military more leeway in the field, signing a new security agreement with Washington and building 10 mega-prisons that mimic Bukele’s network of penitentiaries in El Salvador.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
  • Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.
    — Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of penitentiaries
Verb
  • The lightweight cream deposits a subtle wash of color, and blends tracelessly to create a fresh-faced, no-makeup-makeup finish.
    — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 30 June 2026
  • This is one in which the user deposits cash that serves as its’ purchase limit.
    — Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of deposits
Noun
  • The five-member Board of Supervisors is charged with approving settlements with the families of people who die or are injured in county jails.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • The program was established by state lawmakers in 2018 as a way to help stem the tide of mental illness in jails and prisons, usually by dismissing cases and offering treatment for the underlying conditions behind a defendant’s arrest.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of jails
Verb
  • 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
  • Nanayakkara said some 734 inmates who were involved in the violence were transferred to other prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • The program was established by state lawmakers in 2018 as a way to help stem the tide of mental illness in jails and prisons, usually by dismissing cases and offering treatment for the underlying conditions behind a defendant’s arrest.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of prisons
Noun
  • Single-dose Zepbound pens and Zepbound vials will not be covered by the bridge program.
    — Sony Salzman, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Definition of pens
Noun
  • Once synonymous with red-gravy joints, the culinary landscape of South Philly now tells a broader story, with chapters written by more recent immigrants from Latin America and Southeast Asia.
    — Regan Stephens, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • This can be avoided by squatting, stretching and loosening up your joints before jumping.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 2 July 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hocks

Nglish: Translation of hocks for Spanish Speakers

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