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
Every summer, stylish crowds congregate along France’s southeastern shores, seduced by the glamorous promise of the French Riviera, spending their days sipping overpriced cocktails at the high-end resorts that line its sandy beaches as if plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photo.
—
Monica Mendal, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026
In choosing Love, the Cardinals disregarded conventional wisdom that quality running backs can be plucked much later in the draft and at a much lower cost.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Those who have been plucked from the crowd congregate at secret clubs and lavish dinner parties.
—Theo Baker, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
The Panthers plucked nearly a dozen players from the Checkers over the course of the season to play at the NHL level as injuries derailed Florida’s roster.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Then in 2013, she was plucked from the pros to take on an even dicier enterprise, a new Big East, a basketball-centric conference in a college landscape dominated by football schools and power conferences.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
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
Monica Mendal, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026
In choosing Love, the Cardinals disregarded conventional wisdom that quality running backs can be plucked much later in the draft and at a much lower cost.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Those who have been plucked from the crowd congregate at secret clubs and lavish dinner parties.
—Theo Baker, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
The Panthers plucked nearly a dozen players from the Checkers over the course of the season to play at the NHL level as injuries derailed Florida’s roster.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
Then in 2013, she was plucked from the pros to take on an even dicier enterprise, a new Big East, a basketball-centric conference in a college landscape dominated by football schools and power conferences.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucked
Verb
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Traditional paths to entry-level work, especially in tech, are already being squeezed as companies automate routine work.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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Margins on low-cost airlines are always tight, and fuel is an outsized cost which means they’re already being squeezed hard by the energy shock.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The president was uninjured and was hustled away.—
Collin Binkley,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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All of them were hustled out of sight.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Nuggets have lost plenty of playoff games the past two springs, but few have stung like this.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Meyer acknowledged the logic behind preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the choice still stung as the Buckeyes chased a title.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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This is the same team that cheated and got caught how many times, going back to Bill Belichick and golden boy Tom Brady (Deflategate)?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With Venus in Gemini aligning with Pluto in Aquarius, honest conversations help shift situations that have been stuck.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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But as OutKick’s Joe Kinsey noted, the platform would often combine WNBA and NFL games, leaving subscribers stuck watching both.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If Miranda Priestly can get thrown in steerage, we’re all screwed.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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But that doesn’t mean working people aren’t getting screwed.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Freshman midfielder Quinn Fahey scored the lone goal for the Eagles (6-5-2, 3-2), who beat Andrew for the first time since 2021.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Led by starter Martín Pérez, the Braves started off another series with a victory by beating the Tigers 5-2 at Truist Park on Tuesday.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plucked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucked. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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