1
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
chiefly Southern & Midland
as in pouch
a container made of a flexible material (as paper or plastic)
the old warning against buying a pig in a poke
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
saw his head poking through the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
told him to stop poking into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to crawl
to move or act slowly
just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of poke
Air Mail, 9 Aug. 2025
At Scott’s Seafood Roundhouse, executive chef Nick Blessing’s raw bar menu features sampler platters with a pescatarian collage of poke, aguachile and shellfish.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 Sep. 2025
Using an awl, poke two holes in the bottom of mini pumpkins or gourds.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poke
Noun
The Parisian power-lunch spot has teamed up with Happier Grocery for an off-menu poke bowl that’s basically a flex in a compostable container.
—Air Mail, 9 Aug. 2025
At Scott’s Seafood Roundhouse, executive chef Nick Blessing’s raw bar menu features sampler platters with a pescatarian collage of poke, aguachile and shellfish.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Another claim cited a 2018 post from Robinson’s mother’s Facebook, which showed the future alleged assassin dressed in an adidas tracksuit and squatting — a popular, apolitical meme that blew up in the 2010s, poking fun at Eastern Europeans.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 15 Sep. 2025
Using an awl, poke two holes in the bottom of mini pumpkins or gourds.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poke
Verb
-
The display bezels are super thin at the top and on both sides, with Lenovo’s protruding upper-edge notch housing the webcam and other electronics.—
Mark Coppock,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
-
That is followed by a tabletop planetarium featuring images of planets beamed onto moving objects which magically protrude from it.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some individuals were detained, and one of their family members tried to interfere and hit an officer, police said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Sep. 2025
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But the coach allegedly interfered in that meeting too.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And to get there, visitors will have to make their way through scare zones brimming with crawling monsters and roaring chainsaws.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Insects crawled through clinical areas, and staff food was stored alongside medical supplies.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is not about dragging NATO into war.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
After being struck from behind, he was dragged to the ground and mauled him, with other lions joined in, per Khaosod English.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The internet already messed her up pretty good.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The internet already messed her up pretty good.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet Harris lingers near the top of the 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in most polling because the party lacks viable alternatives with comparable name identification.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This effortless touchpoint builds trust, catches lingering issues and creates loyal advocates who feel truly valued.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The massive cuts to the program remain to be seen as prices continue to creep ever higher for beneficiaries.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Coachella hasn’t sold out since 2023, despite its release dates creeping earlier in the calendar each year.—
Arielle Gordon,
Pitchfork,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the film, Shy is played by Jay Lycurgo, an alternately sensitive and intimidating young actor in his breakout role, and the bag doesn’t appear until midway through, when the film crew go snooping without permission in the students’ room.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Potential trouble arises when the wily victim of Danny’s, Pauline, starts snooping around the house, hears Danny’s voice and starts to bargain for her silence.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poke. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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