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
JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
Put wall hooks in between the bins for hanging jackets and satchels.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
During the past decade, Tranter has established himself as one of the music industry’s most reliable hitmakers, thanks to his clever, boisterous lyricism and dramatic, over-the-top choruses and hooks.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Pheelz has a way of using unattached vocals to enhance his baseline production that provides additional melody — even to someone like Fireboy who seems to ooze ear worm vocal hooks.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
The production is lush, but leaves room for his diverse flows and easily recitable hooks to stick with listeners.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
These hooks latch onto fur and clothes to travel to a faraway land with the animal.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
His bloodthirsty crew has turned their tools on humans, transforming meat hooks and chainsaws into instruments of terror.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
These things might as well be hanging from peelable Command hooks.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 25 Sep. 2025
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Create subheadlines that make one clear promise Your subheadline does the heavy lifting after your headline hooks them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
To develop it, the research team incorporated mushroom heads or hooks directly into the building components.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
With Militarie Gun, though, Shelton stretched the concept of what hardcore can be, weaving in melody and riffy hooks more befitting stadium rock.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
After the rescuer hooks the hikers to the line, the helicopter crew hoists all three from the area.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
Verbatim bell hooks Writer and academic, teacher and activist.
—JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
Put wall hooks in between the bins for hanging jackets and satchels.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
During the past decade, Tranter has established himself as one of the music industry’s most reliable hitmakers, thanks to his clever, boisterous lyricism and dramatic, over-the-top choruses and hooks.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Pheelz has a way of using unattached vocals to enhance his baseline production that provides additional melody — even to someone like Fireboy who seems to ooze ear worm vocal hooks.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
The production is lush, but leaves room for his diverse flows and easily recitable hooks to stick with listeners.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
These hooks latch onto fur and clothes to travel to a faraway land with the animal.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
His bloodthirsty crew has turned their tools on humans, transforming meat hooks and chainsaws into instruments of terror.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
These things might as well be hanging from peelable Command hooks.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Busstra then hooks the snake on a pole before pulling the reptile out of the box with his bare hands.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Create subheadlines that make one clear promise Your subheadline does the heavy lifting after your headline hooks them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
To develop it, the research team incorporated mushroom heads or hooks directly into the building components.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
With Militarie Gun, though, Shelton stretched the concept of what hardcore can be, weaving in melody and riffy hooks more befitting stadium rock.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
After the rescuer hooks the hikers to the line, the helicopter crew hoists all three from the area.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooks
Noun
-
Ridley Scott, a filmmaker not known for pulling his punches, has issued a withering assessment on the health of Hollywood output right now.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The matches are pretty violent, with nasty punches to the face and vicious knees to the head.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In that moment, Dupree involuntarily punches him and the pair go quiet as Dooley cusses and bends over wincing in pain.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Autocrats do not think that history bends toward justice.—
Richard Stengel,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The foot bone connects to the leg bone, the leg bone connects to the hip bone, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The team across the Causeway — the highway viaduct that connects Yolo County and Sacramento — would be the Sacramento State Hornets.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Carol steals him away first and is so awkward and confused as to how to flirt.—
Ali Barthwell,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
-
But as in most of his roles since The Departed and The Fighter, Wahlberg shows little charisma, particularly when he’s flanked by an actor with the irreverent verve of LaKeith Stanfield, who steals every scene without even breaking a sweat.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When virtual particle pairs pop into existence at the edge of black holes, sometimes the black hole’s gravity grabs one partner while the other escapes.—
Dipangkar Dutta,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
-
When Catalina goes into the kitchen to refill her calabash, Frances grabs the box of Thompson paperbacks and makes a run for Ray at the restaurant.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the example below, Ilkay Gundogan curves his run to prevent Alisson from passing back to Virgil van Dijk, while Victor Osimhen’s presence puts goalkeeper Alisson off passing to Ibrahima Konate or Dominik Szoboszlai.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The mortality curves from Gompertz models associated with the three migratory strategies are presented on panel A–C—the death rates m(x) (gray dots) are also presented.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hockey players aren’t known for being shy about fighting over different plays on the ice, but Wayne Gretzky and his current compatriots have learned not to come to blows.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Rancorous debate in the GOTW meeting room as the panel nearly came to blows, with Broncos-Eagles supporters threatening a walkout as Bucs-Seahawks advocates were kicking over chairs.—
Greg Cote
October 2,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Methodist church, a white wedding cake built in 1929, was a total loss; the town’s oldest commercial building, a grand colonnaded structure from 1924, looked like the Roman Forum, arches yawning around a central void.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooks. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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