plied 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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plied

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of ply

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 partnership between two outsiders clawing their way in, joined by an equally canny journalist played by Claire Foy, comes to shape Fleet Street, the London thoroughfare where scribblers plied their trade, in Lamb’s and Murdoch’s images. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plied
Verb
  • Still, Judge already exerted control by avoiding a rehab assignment; a club, according to the collective bargaining agreement, can not impose one on a player without his consent.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Morgan was at the center of a web of banks and industrial enterprises that exerted unprecedented control over the country’s commerce.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Alvarez twisted his right ankle Thursday and was out of the lineup Friday, but his issue is not believed to be serious.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Slicing across the pavement, the aircraft struck several vehicles – including one left flipped onto its side and twisted into an arc not unlike the tail fin logo – before sliding to a fiery stop just shy of a parking lot filled with dozens of cars.
    Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Yohanna was used as a substitute for the last 12 minutes in the 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • OpenAI later admitted that several of their AI models had broken out of containment and used a zero-day vulnerability to manipulate the open internet.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Another is challah, bread that is usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions, which is served as a round loaf at Rosh Hashanah.
    Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Sep. 2026
  • And weighty ropes—the sort that might be used to moor a boat—are braided with chains and arranged on the ground in the form of a curving river.
    Carolina A. Miranda, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • For the new project with Elantas, the researchers applied the process to dismantle an entire aerospace-style sandwich composite.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Odegaard duly applied the calm finish, a goal that will go down as a Tzolis assist.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Jayhawks mixed their straight rushes with blitzes for their fast, experienced defense.
    PJ Green September 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
  • However, Marks does offer GHK-Cu both as a serum and cream and occasionally as an injection, usually mixed with other peptides aimed at tissue repair and inflammation.
    Will Stone, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Meme creators ultimately blended real-world tragedy with internet-native irony.
    Owen Carry, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • When blended with usual pancake ingredients, like flour, sugar, and leaveners, silken tofu acts as a binder, much like eggs in a standard recipe.
    Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Best fastened onto the ball and weaved past three defenders to create a sensational piece of magic.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • And throughout their exchange, Paul weaved in his analysis of Fauci’s actions to frame the one-sided conversation his way.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Plied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plied. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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