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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of plucked
Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard.
—
Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Winners are plucked by a steering committee that zeroes in on recipients based on biography, impact and visionary practices.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Less than a day earlier, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen had been plucked from 3-foot swells by helicopters and transported them roughly one mile to the USS Murtha.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Cory Monteith had made headway in bit parts and supporting roles when Ryan Murphy plucked him from near obscurity to portray Finn Hudson, the high school quarterback with a softer side and a killer set of pipes.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Ten miles away, members of the Navy's SEAL Team Six plucked the missing weapons system officer from the mountainside.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Deputies said the animals were tortured, mutilated, kept in coops with dead birds and live plucked.
—Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
The basket looked like one plucked from any driveway, weighted down by sandbags.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Winners are plucked by a steering committee that zeroes in on recipients based on biography, impact and visionary practices.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Less than a day earlier, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen had been plucked from 3-foot swells by helicopters and transported them roughly one mile to the USS Murtha.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
Cory Monteith had made headway in bit parts and supporting roles when Ryan Murphy plucked him from near obscurity to portray Finn Hudson, the high school quarterback with a softer side and a killer set of pipes.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Ten miles away, members of the Navy's SEAL Team Six plucked the missing weapons system officer from the mountainside.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Deputies said the animals were tortured, mutilated, kept in coops with dead birds and live plucked.
—Timia Cobb, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
The basket looked like one plucked from any driveway, weighted down by sandbags.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucked
Verb
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Sudhir Srivastava, vice president of the Noida Entrepreneurs Association, said manufacturers were being squeezed from multiple directions.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Bottom line Private credit’s share of overall financing in the US economy has grown, and when that growth slows or stops, small businesses with few other options get squeezed.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During an interview with The Star on Friday, waiters hustled through the space with plates.—
Jenna Thompson
April 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
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The crowd applauded when Rahm took the bag from Garcia and started carrying it himself as caddie Adam Hayes hustled to catch up to the players.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s the kind of corporate doublespeak that makes consumers feel cheated and disrespected.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Schiller is a man who cheated death and whose harrowing ordeal is dramatized by actor Tony Shalhoub in a recent movie.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Train 98, part of the Silver Meteor route between Miami and New York, was forced to stop near Jacksonville, leaving some passengers stuck onboard for extended periods.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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This is what a supply shortage looks like in practice — not just higher prices, but households stuck in between, unsure which path to pursue.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mechanics across the continent screwed, hammered and welded Sheila to keep her together, sometimes shaking their heads at the madness of it all.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
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Without brothers, father, I would be screwed.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Davis and the other man cornered Pierre against a fence, where they were filmed beating the teen as dozens of bystanders stood by recording the attack.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
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In the first week of Q1 earnings calls, 49 companies reported results and 76% of them beat earnings estimates, according to Bank of America’s Savita Subramanian.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plucked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucked. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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