HOCKS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

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

outsides

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

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

Noun

Hodge says he was abused in multiple federal penitentiaries, but was frequently blocked from filing complaints about it.

— Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
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

Definition of penitentiaries

Verb

LendingPoint approves loans for as little as $1,000, and typically deposits funds as soon as the next business day after signing.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
The institution deposits the money and uses it to help pay for scholarships, travel, facilities, salaries and sports that might produce little revenue of their own.

— Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of deposits

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

Reports also describe people in prisons and jails around the country being routinely beaten, among other abuse.

— Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
The lawsuit over healthcare for incarcerated people covers Arizona’s nine state-run prisons but not the nearly 10,000 Arizona inmates held in private prisons.

— Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of prisons

Noun

As the air alarm sounds over Izium, the children drop their drawing pens, tubes of glue, and felt-cutting scissors in unison and make for the door.

— Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026
Nail Polish Pens Create your own nail art or tackle quick touch ups with precision polish pens that dry in about 60 seconds.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of pens

Noun

Switching to a dedicated court shoe provides the low-profile lateral stability your joints need.

— Michael Swartzon, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
The hotel is in a complex crammed with drinking and dining joints, like the Penthouse Bar & Grill on the 36th floor that offers panoramic views of the Thai capital.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of joints

Browse Nearby Words

hocking

hocks

hocus-pocus

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Style

“Hocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hocks. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hocks

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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