PLYING Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

plying 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of ply

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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plying

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of ply

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 plying

Verb

Now, Iran said a pair of oil tankers hit naval mines while plying the Strait of Hormuz. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 While Ferran headed to Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, veteran Lewandowski is now plying his trade in the MLS with the Chicago Fire. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Perhaps the next target for cellphone usage should be in supermarkets where some shoppers unsuccessfully try to multitask while plying grocery aisles. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Like the other pros plying this particular trade, Cooper was capable of evoking distressing scenes with an untroubled matter-of-factness. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 In 2014, Andrew Tate began his pornographic webcamming empire, recruiting women by dating and plying them with gifts. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026 Hunte himself is a big draw; he's often reclined on the balcony of his wooden plantation house, plying guests with his own brand of rum—not for the faint of heart. — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026 The 6-foot-2 goalkeeper has been plying his craft professionally for nearly two decades, having bounced around to nine different club teams in the process. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026 These challenges are why solar sails aren't yet plying the vastness of space. — Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 31 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plying

Verb

These active pups are happiest when spending ample time outdoors exerting themselves.

— Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Heat cramps typically occur after exerting yourself in the heat and sweating a lot.

— Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of exerting

Verb

As a thread weaving through the story’s theme, sequels are a massive topic of discussion, the formula explained by Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy) at length.

— Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
The Entertainment Development Business Unit of DeNA will begin weaving Utopai’s storytelling AI system, PAI, into its experimental animation workflows.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of weaving

Verb

Researchers in the United States are shaping the nanoscience frontier, using atomic‑scale control to accelerate advances in electronics, energy storage, catalysis, sensing and medicine.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
Countries where high schoolers reported using digital devices for around two to three hours per day in school saw higher test scores, but scores fell once tech use climbed beyond that.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of using

Verb

Kubrick honed his signature style and attention to detail here in a film that’s constantly twisting and turning, intent on knocking its audience off their feet.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
The system shudders a bit and then gets back to normal, like a person stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle faces discomfort and difficulty walking for a while.

— Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of twisting

Verb

The billionaire chairman and CEO of WorldQuant has been a pioneer in applying AI and other technologies to vast collections of data, looking to build predictive models from historical information.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
The tradeoff is that applying for the new card will typically result in a hard inquiry, which may cause a small, but temporary, credit score decline.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of applying

Verb

In Tampa, Almand rode around the Buccaneers stadium wielding a Bucs flag and got to visit their famed pirate ship.

— Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
That image of Spears in jaw-dropping form, wielding a magnetic stare, and commanding not just the stage but the entire world watching at home defined the singer’s peak as a performer.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of wielding

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ply

plying

plying (with)

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“Plying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plying. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of plying

verb (1)

verb (2)

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