1
as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
a quick pluck pulled the hair right out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
it takes pluck to survive a crippling car accident and still go on to become successful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the Internet opened up a whole new medium for con artists to pluck the gullible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pluck
PC Magazine, 16 June 2025
First: Be heartened by the pluck and guile the Nuggets showed against the Thunder three weeks ago.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Regime change, as it has been practiced and discussed in international politics, refers to something far more ambitious and far more consequential than plucking out a single leader.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pluck
Noun
The opening acoustic guitar plucks get strong low-mid resonance to sound nice and big, while the higher frequencies receive enough attention to convey string texture.
—PC Magazine, 16 June 2025
First: Be heartened by the pluck and guile the Nuggets showed against the Thunder three weeks ago.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
Verb
Last offseason, the Rebels plucked fifth-year Penn State wideout Harrison Wallace out of the portal.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Regime change, as it has been practiced and discussed in international politics, refers to something far more ambitious and far more consequential than plucking out a single leader.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pluck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pluck
Noun
-
But quads alone don’t explain his gravitational pull.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
These pull-on style pants can easily be dressed down with a T-shirt to wear casually, or with a nice blouse or dress shirt and be boardroom-ready.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The gathering is not passive remembrance, but a collective act of courage.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Against a backdrop of a world divided, these teens rise with fire, wit, and unshakable humanity – delivering a masterclass in courage, conviction, and the kind of hope that refuses to be silenced.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Panthers squeezed a few end-of-career seasons out of guys such as Dino Ciccarelli and Igor Larionov.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Instead, 2026 is about building both stylish and sensible outfits that can take you from the airport to the streets with maximum versatility without ever squeezing into tight, form-fitting fabric.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In addition, the city’s Fourth of July fireworks show requires barge and tug services and marine safety coordination, adding to the overall cost.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
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Throughout the night, the two teams continued to play a game of tug of war with neither team giving the other an inch.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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From favorites like collard greens and sweet potato casserole to updates on classics like potato salad and grits, these side dishes are like scooping up a bite of nostalgia.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
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But Ben’s defiance, instincts and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But the Chiefs not being in the playoffs still stings.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But a lackluster performance during that fall's vice presidential debate did little to help the party avoid stinging losses in November 2024.—
Hunter Woodall,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Effectively, this turned the workspace into a yank buffer along with all your documents, and undoing any destructive editing operation thus became merely another cut and paste.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Visitors to China will want to lighten their grip, while folks introducing themselves to Germans should know to stop after one firm downward yank.—
Chris Ciolli,
AFAR Media,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
In 1877, the poet Helen Hunt Jackson argued that winter is where fortitude gathers.—
Rafaela Jinich,
The Atlantic,
1 Jan. 2026
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And consider her father’s mental fortitude to play in a 1979 European Cup semi-final against German champions Cologne — and score with a diving header — three days after learning his brother, Hughie, and sister-in-law, Isobel, had been killed in a car crash just outside Glasgow.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
25 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pluck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pluck. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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