HOOKS Synonyms: 293 Similar and Opposite Words

hooks 1 of 2

noun

plural of hook

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

hooks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hook

as in bends

to cause to turn away from a straight line the pitcher hooked the ball, and the batter missed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

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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

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as in curves

to turn away from a straight line or course hang the bird feeder on a branch that hooks upward

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightens

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 hooks

Noun

If teams implemented quick hooks, a 162-game season would be defined by its knee-jerk reactions. —

Sam McDowell May 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026 Its model combines viewer payment with Google TV and Google Play distribution—a hybrid of app-style monetization and platform-style discovery, betting that vertical drama can move upmarket without losing the hooks that made the category work. —

Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 To keep a tidy cabin and create extra storage for yourself, pack magnetic hooks in your luggage (away from your electronics). —

Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 18 May 2026 Among the stacks of beef boxes and red meat cuts hanging from metal hooks, chicken and pork are increasingly present. —

Clara Preve, Fortune, 16 May 2026 Optimize the wall space by placing belts and bags on sturdy hooks. —

Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 May 2026 Holley uses line in the 25-pound range, filament that enables him to muscle fish out of the thick stuff and bend his hooks free of hangups without losing the terminal tackle. —

John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026 The hooks or rings are in some ways worse than the curtain itself, because no one ever thinks to clean them. —

Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026 Fasten zippers and hooks before tossing clothes in the wash cycle. —

Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2026

Verb

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 This compact device hooks onto your keychain or purse, and in the event of an emergency, simply pull the plug to activate a blaring alarm and strobe light duo. —

Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooks

Noun

Because eventually the Knicks will have to stop picking on teams beneath them and trade punches with a legitimate heavyweight.

— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 May 2026
Taffer’s Browned Butter Bourbon is made through a process that draws out the bourbon’s natural toffee and vanilla notes, bringing rich flavor and a smooth summer twist to seasonal cocktails and punches.

— Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026