as in squeezed
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the Internet opened up a whole new medium for con artists to pluck the gullible
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Recent Examples of plucked
Many of the items for the set were quite literally plucked from her residence ahead of her Saturday Night Live performance at the end of last year.
—
Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026
Etna, a battle-scarred but kindhearted shepherd mix who was plucked from his home on the eve of an unspecified conflict in an unnamed country, has grown weary of war’s brutalities and longs to return to the coastal farm of his puppyhood.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Lots of stories waiting to be told in this era, some of which could be plucked from the many books written after the original trilogy came out.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The aftermath of one of Otto’s decisions gives Beever as Léna some rich material to work through, but strands Machado-Graner to an extent, including in a short subplot that feels like it was plucked from an entirely different screenplay.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
Pamela Anderson’s progression from over-plucked and busty to fresh-faced and gracefully aging on the red carpet is evidence of culture’s exhaustion with excess.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
On screen, that depth is anchored by Williams and Storrie, actors plucked from restaurant-server obscurity.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 May 2026
And wow, how juicy that fruit is, plucked straight from the plant and carved by Balala with a machete.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 14 May 2026
The character seems not so much drawn from experience as plucked from a vat of pulp cliché.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026
Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026
Etna, a battle-scarred but kindhearted shepherd mix who was plucked from his home on the eve of an unspecified conflict in an unnamed country, has grown weary of war’s brutalities and longs to return to the coastal farm of his puppyhood.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Lots of stories waiting to be told in this era, some of which could be plucked from the many books written after the original trilogy came out.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The aftermath of one of Otto’s decisions gives Beever as Léna some rich material to work through, but strands Machado-Graner to an extent, including in a short subplot that feels like it was plucked from an entirely different screenplay.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
Pamela Anderson’s progression from over-plucked and busty to fresh-faced and gracefully aging on the red carpet is evidence of culture’s exhaustion with excess.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
On screen, that depth is anchored by Williams and Storrie, actors plucked from restaurant-server obscurity.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 May 2026
And wow, how juicy that fruit is, plucked straight from the plant and carved by Balala with a machete.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 14 May 2026
The character seems not so much drawn from experience as plucked from a vat of pulp cliché.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucked
Verb
-
Freddie Freeman squeezed one inside the left-field foul pole in the first inning, his fourth home run in nine games (after hitting just one in the previous 35 games).—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
The story of America’s lopsided home prices has often been pinned on the wealthy remote workers who squeezed home supply in the pandemic’s early days.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Raised in a Hollywood household, with a TV writer dad and hitmaking songwriter sister, Todd skipped college, hustled on TikTok, signed to Columbia and toured with Omar Apollo.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
In a sense, bees went from wild foragers to shift workers, clocking in for bloom season as beekeepers hustled them from farm to farm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The keen scent of the fall breeze with its hint of snow now swept down the valley and stung our faces.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
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Drivers stung by high gas prices have enjoyed some welcome relief over the last couple of weeks, even as the impact of the Iran war continues to choke off oil supply.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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However, instead of wrapping up storylines neatly, the series' final episode created more questions, and left many feeling cheated of a firm resolution.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
There’s a rule and Saints cheated in the play-offs, a separate competition.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Kenny keeps getting stuck in the same situation.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
The neighborhood Bairro Alto Hotel sits on the boundary of two of Lisbon’s most captivating districts, Chiado and Bairro Alto, with their steeply, sloping cobblestone streets and intriguing nooks and crannies, so you’ll never be stuck for something to see, a place to eat, or a boutique to browse.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The same circadian system that morning sunlight activates can be reinforced or undermined by what’s screwed into your lamps for the next 14 hours.—
Allison Palmer
June 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
Anybody who has too long a résumé is screwed.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Supposedly the poem was inspired by a peyote-vision where the edifice of San Francisco’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel was transformed into a hideous, twisted, demonic visage, which inspired the beating heart of Howl’s second section.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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Matt Olson’s solo home run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference Tuesday as the Braves beat the visiting Blue Jays 4-3 at Truist Park, beginning the three-game series with their 15th series-opening victory of the season.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plucked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucked. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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