as in punches
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
delivered a hard right hook that struck his opponent in the eye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in bends
to cause to turn away from a straight line
the pitcher hooked the ball, and the batter missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in connects
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 steals
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 grabs
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 curves
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of hooks
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The guide had found a fishing line and hooks in his duffel.
—Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Desiree swapped her Amazon hooks for the Glenn Towel Bar from Ethnik Living after one of her bath sheets pulled a hook clean off the wall.
—Jasmine Desiree, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2026
Adults may need to make a few adjustments, such as installing child-height hooks, using smaller pitchers or cleaning tools, and making supplies easy to reach.
—Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
If the ball hooks or drops, Arvada West might have have celebrated a state title three decades in the making.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
With its shout-along hooks and pop drama, Jack Antonoff’s latest isn’t so different from the others, but his myopic views on modern life and celebrity are becoming harder to bear.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 May 2026
But Apple reserved the deepest iPhone integrations — notifications, payments, health data, system hooks — for itself.
—Matt Rogers, Fortune, 30 May 2026
This is where Coleman works out the melodies and hooks for songs, which his friend since fifth grade, Michael Finster—who kids know as Bearhead—then produces to make the finished pieces.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 29 May 2026
Adam Erace, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Marketing experts say while more and more cash is flowing into the clip-ification of all things, those watching the content can view clips as cheap and disposable moments, not something that hooks someone on a show or internet personality.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 12 May 2026
Set in the late 1980s, the film follows 13-year-old Felice (an exceptional Tiziano Menichelli), a budding tennis star whose overbearing father hooks him up with Raul Getti (Favino), a flameout former pro with a new lithium prescription and a serious ladies-man streak.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, questioned Mosseri on Wednesday about whether Instagram chooses profits over the health and safety of minors and whether Mosseri oversees an app that hooks younger users.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
The cat who reaches through the kennel bars and hooks a paw around your finger.
—Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Feb. 2026
Aussie newcomer Yerin Ha is the juggernaut's new leading lady—a strong yet soft pragmatist whose quiet charisma hooks Benedict, the ton, and, soon enough, audiences everywhere.
—InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
Start with your transformation story that hooks from line one.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Unable to deal with Max any longer, Nathan asks Joe to send Max down and hooks the Jet Ski to the crane himself.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
Steve Rachman of Highland Park, of the Highland Park High School Class of 1977, and of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), volunteered to help families prepare their hooks, educating them about the art of fishing.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
The guide had found a fishing line and hooks in his duffel.
—Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Desiree swapped her Amazon hooks for the Glenn Towel Bar from Ethnik Living after one of her bath sheets pulled a hook clean off the wall.
—Jasmine Desiree, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2026
Adults may need to make a few adjustments, such as installing child-height hooks, using smaller pitchers or cleaning tools, and making supplies easy to reach.
—Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
If the ball hooks or drops, Arvada West might have have celebrated a state title three decades in the making.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
With its shout-along hooks and pop drama, Jack Antonoff’s latest isn’t so different from the others, but his myopic views on modern life and celebrity are becoming harder to bear.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 May 2026
But Apple reserved the deepest iPhone integrations — notifications, payments, health data, system hooks — for itself.
—Matt Rogers, Fortune, 30 May 2026
This is where Coleman works out the melodies and hooks for songs, which his friend since fifth grade, Michael Finster—who kids know as Bearhead—then produces to make the finished pieces.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 29 May 2026
Verb
Armour hooks my arm, and the panic abates.
—Adam Erace, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Marketing experts say while more and more cash is flowing into the clip-ification of all things, those watching the content can view clips as cheap and disposable moments, not something that hooks someone on a show or internet personality.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 12 May 2026
Set in the late 1980s, the film follows 13-year-old Felice (an exceptional Tiziano Menichelli), a budding tennis star whose overbearing father hooks him up with Raul Getti (Favino), a flameout former pro with a new lithium prescription and a serious ladies-man streak.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, questioned Mosseri on Wednesday about whether Instagram chooses profits over the health and safety of minors and whether Mosseri oversees an app that hooks younger users.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
The cat who reaches through the kennel bars and hooks a paw around your finger.
—Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 10 Feb. 2026
Aussie newcomer Yerin Ha is the juggernaut's new leading lady—a strong yet soft pragmatist whose quiet charisma hooks Benedict, the ton, and, soon enough, audiences everywhere.
—InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
Start with your transformation story that hooks from line one.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Unable to deal with Max any longer, Nathan asks Joe to send Max down and hooks the Jet Ski to the crane himself.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooks
Noun
-
For a sparsely populated state with only four votes in the Electoral College, Maine punches above its weight politically, which is reflected in the $300 million spent already by the campaigns and dark money Political Action Committees.—
David Millward,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
-
After punches were thrown, both players were suspended seven games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Their goal is to reproduce a 1919 eclipse experiment that measured how the sun’s gravity bends the light from distant stars and confirmed Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, according to the Spanish Scientific and Advisory Committee for the Trio of Eclipses.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
The responder then bends down to gently stroke the bird before getting another idea.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
In a conventional arrangement, the strut body is mounted to the chassis while the shaft connects to the wheel assembly.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 06,
New Atlas,
6 June 2026
-
The bridge connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and will provide a third border crossing option at the Detroit River.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Also for Task, Ingelsby required another actor to match Ruffalo and play Robbie, a thief who only steals for criminals.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
But Borgo Egnazia steals the show.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Kennedy then pins the snake’s head and grabs it by the mouth, avoiding any potential venomous bites.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Davis grabs two suitcases off the belt, pulls out a handheld computer that looks like an extra-rugged iPad, and scans the bar codes on the luggage tags.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
About half a mile from the high school, the road curves to the left.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
-
The dials are all adorned with a railway minute track that curves around every petal to accentuate the flower’s form.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The biggest blows came from Garcia and Starling Marte.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
-
Suddenly, Brooks began raining down blows on Sumner with a gutta-percha cane while an accomplice warded off lawmakers who tried to intervene.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Smith arches over the patient, his body an umbrella to protect the wound.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
The protective netting that arches over so many of the roads in the eastern Donbas region – stopping drones in their tracks – is not your friend here, but a limitation on movement.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooks. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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