Thesaurus results for PLUCKING

plucking

verb

present participle of pluck

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of plucking The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 Unlike a razor, which simply cuts hair at the surface, an epilator removes it from the root by mechanically plucking multiple hairs at once. — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 July 2026 Scarlett, meanwhile, keeps a steady gaze while plucking away at her bass. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026 Harvest your strawberries by gently plucking or cutting the stem less than half an inch above the berry. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 12 July 2026 There is no longer much question as to whether Platner is suitable for public office, and even less question as to whether plucking him from political obscurity made any sense. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 Gardening, floral arranging, and plucking dirt from fresh herbs and veggies can be messy projects. — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 As with the studio version, the track began with Lifeson plucking out a delicate intro on a nylon-string guitar before blasting into monster electric riffs. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 June 2026 Repeatedly plucking off leaves is simpler than using boiling water. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucking

Verb

McGurk argued that, if the return of the hostages was the only way to end the war, then publicly squeezing Israel to protect civilians could paradoxically prolong the fighting, resulting in more Palestinian deaths.

— David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
De la Fuente’s forwards press aggressively, while centre-backs Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte hold a high defensive line, squeezing the pitch and pinning their opponents back.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of squeezing

Verb

Off the back of her high-profile return to music and very public stinging attack of David Harbour, Prime Video is making a doc about Lily Allen.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Symptoms of smoke inhalation include coughing, trouble breathing, wheezing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose and irritated sinuses, headaches, tiredness, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.

— Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of stinging

Verb

These slim-fit mid-rise joggers look perfect for hustling around a busy airport, but are also stylish enough to wear while sightseeing.

— Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2026
Langford was injured during Friday’s game after hustling on a double.

— Cal Phillips June 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026

Definition of hustling

Verb

The rumors of cheating with addresses and recruiting players have run rampant, but many schools do it.

— Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
The story of a cheating husband's double life racked up more than 23 million views in its first month, reaching the top ten in 62 countries, including the US, and the number one spot in almost two dozen countries.

— Kate Bartlett, NPR, 24 July 2026

Definition of cheating

Verb

Despite a middling 50-51 record, the Padres are within two games of the National League’s final wild-card spot after beating the Atlanta Braves 8-3 on Tuesday.

— Dennis Lin, New York Times, 22 July 2026
The beating sun, and therefore sweaty, sunburned skin, demands a looser fit that’s light-as-air, and this popover style is perfect to throw on and go.

— Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 21 July 2026

Definition of beating

Verb

The breeze was screwing with the sound system, and the temperature dropped abruptly.

— Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
America’s favorite sport is not football, or soccer, but screwing over sports fans, which is why FIFA should hold its World Cup in the United States permanently.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026

Definition of screwing

Browse Nearby Words

pluckiness

plucking

plucks

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“Plucking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucking. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of plucking

verb

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