1
as in bending
to cause to turn away from a straight line
the pitcher hooked the ball, and the batter missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in connecting
to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole
hooked up three short chains together to make a longer necklace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stealing
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
the monkey hooked four bananas from the basket and scampered away to enjoy them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
I hooked the biggest fish of the day, and then released it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
hang the bird feeder on a branch that hooks upward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hooking
The third came four seconds after the Bruins killed an Eyssimont hooking penalty.
—
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Hahn and Jeff Glaid, the WGFD biologist who conducted the study, told a room full of anglers in 2024 that if regulations didn’t change, and hooking injuries to fish — like bottom jaws torn off and severe scarring — continued, the department would have to start restocking in earnest.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The rescuer takes two trips, hooking each passenger up to a line, then hoisting them from the beach, the video shows.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
By then Carolina had extended its advantage to two thanks again to Jarvis, who capitalized on the visitors’ third power play – hooking by Jackson LaCombe – with a one-time wrist shot from the right circle for his sixth goal of the season.
—Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
With deals on Apple AirPods, Vera Bradley bags, Neutrogena makeup wipes, and Dreo portable space heaters, Amazon is hooking you up for the fall, winter, and beyond.
—Shalwah Evans, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
Encased in a glossy synth-pop tune, producers Max Martin and Shellback lace the lyrics with a melody as addictive as a narcotic, hooking listeners from the start.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Since it’s widely recognized that this area of the plane doesn’t often get much love from cleaners, this genius tech organizer is the best alternative, hooking onto your tray table and providing pockets for your tablet, phone, headphones, and more.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
After hooking his tee shot into trees on the adjacent 16th hole, Scheffler punched out, walked back to the 18th fairway, and shot over tents and trees to land 40 feet from the flag.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Hahn and Jeff Glaid, the WGFD biologist who conducted the study, told a room full of anglers in 2024 that if regulations didn’t change, and hooking injuries to fish — like bottom jaws torn off and severe scarring — continued, the department would have to start restocking in earnest.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The rescuer takes two trips, hooking each passenger up to a line, then hoisting them from the beach, the video shows.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
By then Carolina had extended its advantage to two thanks again to Jarvis, who capitalized on the visitors’ third power play – hooking by Jackson LaCombe – with a one-time wrist shot from the right circle for his sixth goal of the season.
—Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
With deals on Apple AirPods, Vera Bradley bags, Neutrogena makeup wipes, and Dreo portable space heaters, Amazon is hooking you up for the fall, winter, and beyond.
—Shalwah Evans, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
Encased in a glossy synth-pop tune, producers Max Martin and Shellback lace the lyrics with a melody as addictive as a narcotic, hooking listeners from the start.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Since it’s widely recognized that this area of the plane doesn’t often get much love from cleaners, this genius tech organizer is the best alternative, hooking onto your tray table and providing pockets for your tablet, phone, headphones, and more.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
After hooking his tee shot into trees on the adjacent 16th hole, Scheffler punched out, walked back to the 18th fairway, and shot over tents and trees to land 40 feet from the flag.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooking
Verb
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Keeping your heels on the ground, lift your toes toward your shins without bending your knees.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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Blending genre-bending humor with social satire, the show examines modern life, dating, and identity through an inventive lens.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Friedrichsen, a Wake Forest transfer, was among the trio of Wildcats in double figures, connecting on three triples and dealing a team-high three assists in the win.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Nov. 2025
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Foraging for black walnuts is a long-standing tradition in the Ozarks, providing extra cash for harvesters and connecting people with the outdoors.—
Randy Moll,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar-winning acting is known for stealing scenes, but during a recent outing in New York City, her straight-leg jeans took the spotlight.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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There’s a lot of concern among professionals across the creative and media industries that generative AI tools are essentially stealing their work by scraping content available on the Internet.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 5-11 200-pound standout has accumulated mind-boggling stats through nine games -- 1,098 rushing yards and 17 TDs while grabbing a team-leading 42 passes for 974 yards and 18 scores.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
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Nikola Jokic put up 26 points on 12 of 15 shooting, while also dishing out nine assists and grabbing nine rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Other standout features include a custom brass kitchen and a curving brass staircase to match.—
Mekita Rivas,
Architectural Digest,
7 Nov. 2025
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So much of Brazil strains the imagination—the interminable skyline of São Paulo, the beaches of Rio curving between monoliths of granite, the aquamarine pools trapped between the undulating dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Canadian cultural mosaic, in which distinct identities exist parallel to an over-arching nationalism, further offered an alternative to the melting pot model found south of the border.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Avoid lifting too high and arching your back.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Our research has described the needs of callers who reach out to 211, community capacity to respond to callers’ needs, the ability of 211 to detect rapid changes in community needs, and the benefits of integrating health referrals into 211s.—
Matthew W. Kreuter,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Wilson was arrested in February for allegedly swiping a subway rider through a turnstile and received cash in exchange.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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How one person feels about spending cash versus swiping their card is really about exposure, Bryan-Podvin says.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hooking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooking. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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