PLIED Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

plied 1 of 2

verb (1)

past tense of ply

as in exerted

to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively she plied all of her charm and intelligence to convince everyone to volunteer as tutors

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plied

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of ply

as in twisted

to cause to twine about one another two single yarns were plied together to get the fabric that smooth, firm feel

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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 plied

Verb

The lakes are medieval peat diggings that were flooded by rising seas in the 14th century, and long plied by cargo boats known as wherries. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 9 Aug. 2026 There were no global superstars, and only a couple of players at genuinely elite clubs like Benfica and Villarreal; most plied their trade well outside football’s spotlight. — André Martin, Fortune, 16 July 2026 Tsietsi sent one of them to the front as a lookout, while the others eagerly plied him with questions about his activities. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 As Levenson makes clear, these three arguments have been plied for as long as vaccines have. — Diana Gitig, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2026 In Whitman’s time, 70 different steam ferries plied Gotham’s waters. — Julia Press, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026 Davis plied his trade in Reno, Nevada, at a time when the American West was developing into a manufacturing hub at breakneck speed. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026 While virtually every other draftable player was in a power conference this year, Graves plied his trade for the third-place team in the West Coast Conference. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 May 2026 But Venegas’ parents were artists above all — photographers specifically, a trade now plied by Yvonne — and as such, romantics at heart and in practice. — Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plied

Verb

Rezaei’s remarks are another indication of the control exerted by Tehran’s hardliners and their growing readiness to adopt a more offensive posture.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa, the big three of the three hundred–plus ethnicities that made up the national character, exerted their outsized influence in the shattering wave of military coups that preceded and followed the brutal civil war.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of exerted

Verb

Install one specific buffer this week that protects the behavior from being extinguished or twisted into belligerence.

— Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Laws and elections can quickly shift the balance of power in the game, and the rules can be subverted or twisted to your advantage through the deft deployment of crushing bureaucracy.

— Alan Bradley, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of twisted

Verb

The technology, used in all Metro Nashville Public Schools, didn’t spot the weapon because the shooter wasn’t close enough to cameras for the system to get an accurate read and activate the alarm, the district said.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
The Fever used a 13-2 run to open a 71-60 lead in the third quarter.

— Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of used

Verb

Her glossy hair, braided into two plaits, hung down over her shoulders in a style unusual for young girls these days.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Rebecca wore her simple weekday covering over her hair, which had been pulled back in a ponytail, then braided and pinned up on the back of her head.

— Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of braided

Verb

Jones applied through the nonprofit New York Foundation for Senior Citizens (NYFSC) and was matched with an elderly woman who owns a home in Jamaica, Queens.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
If their income is between one and two times the federal poverty level, Central Health pays the balance of their monthly premium after federal tax credits have been applied.

— Olivia Aldridge, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of applied

Verb

Text that has been heavily rewritten, paraphrased, translated, or mixed with other writing may lose enough of Claude's statistical pattern to become undetectable.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
Comments on Haaland's Instagram post teasing the cut are mixed, with some fans loving the update and others mourning the loss of that platinum ponytail.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of mixed

Verb

Those three components were blended before being recasked across both ex-bourbon (53 gallon) and ex-sherry (59 gallon) casks previously used to age Jura single malt Scotch.

— David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
With a remarkable ability to bridge generations, Gansz delivered a message that blended his love of history with his love of football, using lessons from the past to shape how his teams prepared for the present.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026