as in squeezing
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 plucking
According to its website, Butcher & Singer is an homage to the glitz and class of 1940s Hollywood, reaching into the past, plucking the best and brightest aspects of a bygone era.
—
Courtney Cherry, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Bills scooped up a second Broncos assistant in as many days, plucking Jim Leonhard to lead Joe Brady’s defense.
—Torrey Hart, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This is also why disabusing new believers of such opinions can feel like plucking shell fragments from a cooking omelet.
—Emil Steiner, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
At the piece’s debut, Kurdi performed these notes by plucking out a bass line on a piano’s inner strings.
—Olivia Giovetti, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Or plucking Tater Tots straight off the baking sheet and then wiping your hands on your pants.
—Alyssa Brandt, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Caitlin Looby Last August, Lauren Isbell dove around Mott Island Dock at Isle Royale National Park, plucking invasive zebra mussels from the lakebed – sometimes with her fingers, other times with a credit-card sized piece of plastic attached to a lanyard on her wrist.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 20 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, Fortune, 8 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
Courtney Cherry, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
The Bills scooped up a second Broncos assistant in as many days, plucking Jim Leonhard to lead Joe Brady’s defense.
—Torrey Hart, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This is also why disabusing new believers of such opinions can feel like plucking shell fragments from a cooking omelet.
—Emil Steiner, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
At the piece’s debut, Kurdi performed these notes by plucking out a bass line on a piano’s inner strings.
—Olivia Giovetti, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Or plucking Tater Tots straight off the baking sheet and then wiping your hands on your pants.
—Alyssa Brandt, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Caitlin Looby Last August, Lauren Isbell dove around Mott Island Dock at Isle Royale National Park, plucking invasive zebra mussels from the lakebed – sometimes with her fingers, other times with a credit-card sized piece of plastic attached to a lanyard on her wrist.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 20 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, Fortune, 8 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucking
Verb
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The solar sector has been grappling with a prolonged price slump and oversupply, squeezing margins even as leading producers continue to add capacity.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
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For generations, Americans who wanted orange juice without the work of squeezing fresh fruit cracked open a can and watched a cylinder of frozen juice go ker-plunk into a pitcher.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Seattle fans are hoping to erase the stinging memory of Super Bowl 49 – when the Seahawks famously decided not to run from the 1-yard line and saw Malcolm Butler intercept Russell Wilson to seal a 28-24 Patriots win.—
Jacob Camenker,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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Senior lawmaker Angela Rayner, a popular figure on the left of the party, is still stinging after being forced to resign as deputy prime minister in September for failing to pay enough tax on a home purchase.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If out of work, hustling this week and next could open doors.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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Students were hustling around campus, coming and going on the penultimate Saturday of the semester.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Among the reasons Belichick was not inducted are his involvement in cheating scandals, such as Spygate and Deflategate, according to ESPN.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cornyn’s campaign responded with a taunt over Paxton’s divorce and cheating scandal.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some sounds could indicate structural changes, so keep an eye on wall cracks and look out for sticking doors and windows.—
Jessica Elliott,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
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The goal was to give the family’s embryo—Guojun’s sperm and an anonymous donor’s egg—the best odds of sticking during the transfer, which was scheduled for July at Western Fertility Institute, a clinic in Los Angeles.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks used a first-round bye to rest, heal and prepare, and then routed the 49ers in a divisional-round game before beating the Rams, 31-27, to advance to the Super Bowl.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Patriots finished 14-3 but defeated only one team with a winning record in the regular season, beating up on the likes of the Jets (twice), Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals en route to an AFC East title.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nevertheless, on a clear if cold day the three walked through several inches of snow, screwing in the new signs.—
Jesse Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cattano suggests screwing mug hooks into the bottom of kitchen cabinets to utilize that space between the cupboards and the countertops.—
Bridget Reed Morawski,
Architectural Digest,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Minneapolis police chief says the difference between their policies on dealing with protesters and what federal officers have been doing is immediately clear.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.—
Evan Minsker,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plucking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucking. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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