paddles

verb

present tense third-person singular of paddle
1
as in rows
to move a boat by means of oars I like to paddle on the river for exercise and relaxation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in licks
to strike repeatedly back in those times it was acceptable for teachers to paddle misbehaving students

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paddles
  1. rows
  2. licks
  3. whips
  4. pounds
  5. lashes
  6. hides
  7. pelts
  8. beats
Verb
  • Several editors arrived straight from the LFW front rows to party with Kim, the third day of shows following be damned.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • After kidnapping Sam, Borden rows away from shore and raises a shotgun to his chin.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
Definition of rows
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of licks
Verb
  • Shutters bang, screen doors slam; the wind whips them all into a frenzy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Paddling along the shoreline of a small lake in the wilderness, as pine and spruce trees hover over the dark water’s edge and the wind whips waves against the canoe, a human knows her place.
    — Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Wyatt pounds Poly, but win or lose the Chaps would be the second seed and Brewer third due to Wyatt’s win over the Bears.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Higher prices come as Ukraine pounds Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to ban diesel exports.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of pounds
Verb
  • Her glam was equally gorgeous—fluttery lashes with a smooth complexion thanks to L’Oréal Paris’s Age Perfect Anti-Aging Midnight Cream Moisturizer.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of lashes
Verb
  • More than 60 miles into the Andaman Sea, South Asia’s only active volcano hides a thriving underwater world shaped by fire and teeming with life.
    — Avantika Chaturvedi, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Its story follows the Forgers, a household that keeps up the appearance of an ordinary life while each member hides something.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • Not so much because Paul puts on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen into a headlock and then pelts him with metal bar stools — sadly, this is a scene that would not be out of place on many reality shows — but because a small child is in the room.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of pelts
Verb
  • Instead of the cartoon alien who loves Oreos and beats up other alien bad guys, this run turns John Jones (FKA J'onn J'onnz) into an FBI agent who survives a suicide bombing and merges with an alien entity.
    — Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Magic 9 also beats the 17 Pro Max in sharpness and color reproduction.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of beats
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.

Browse Nearby Words

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paddles
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Cite this Entry

“Paddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paddles. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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