as in exerting
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively
she plied all of her charm and intelligence to convince everyone to volunteer as tutors
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as in weaving
to cause to twine about one another
two single yarns were plied together to get the fabric that smooth, firm feel
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Recent Examples of plying
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Before plying precious stones and metals, pirouettes and pointes were the means of expression for the Belgian.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
Michael Urie is a consummate performer, equally comfortable plying his craft on stage, on camera, or in the bedroom of his New York apartment.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
That’s Step 7 of the English football pyramid, with Acle plying their trade in a regional feeder league.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Before plying precious stones and metals, pirouettes and pointes were the means of expression for the Belgian.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
Michael Urie is a consummate performer, equally comfortable plying his craft on stage, on camera, or in the bedroom of his New York apartment.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plying. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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