1
2
as in blows
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 insults
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
as in pouches
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 protrudes
to extend outward beyond a usual point
saw his head poking through the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in interferes
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 drags
to move or act slowly
just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pokes
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
A lot of times, these hot-button issues that are pressed, those little pokes, are more nuanced than they’re portrayed.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
In the hands of the right provider, filler can enhance and even transform your face with just a few strategic pokes.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 Nov. 2025
There weren’t any needles, pokes, or prods involved, just a simple applicator patch that stuck to the side of my stomach to help the machine navigate where to output the energy.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
The rooftop pool and open-late bars draw a youngish crowd—lots of millennials with stick-and-pokes—of couples and friends, and absolutely zero kids (though the property is dog- and cat- friendly).
—Emily Wilson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The non-extinction of Zaglossus attenboroughi, in the Cyclops Mountains, first suspected in 2007 on evidence of nose pokes, was confirmed.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
One TikTok video with over 949,000 likes pokes fun at Kempczinski's review by using similar wording to judge other McDonald's items.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti hired the FTI Consulting Firm, which pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.
—Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
The paper pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
As Luna in your financial quadrant pokes the Sun in your friendship zone, money boundaries and group expectations likely tug in different directions.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Amazon also strikes a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI.
—Dee-Ann Durbin, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Cucurella lands on the rebound and pokes in.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Other companies have incorporated AI into their Super Bowl commercials to a lesser extent, according to the outlet, and AI companies will return as well — a commercial from Anthropic pokes fun at ChatGPT incorporating ads.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
Pepsi has for decades taken pokes at rival Coke in an endless array of commercials, but this time, the youth-skewing cola company really means business.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
A lot of times, these hot-button issues that are pressed, those little pokes, are more nuanced than they’re portrayed.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
In the hands of the right provider, filler can enhance and even transform your face with just a few strategic pokes.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 Nov. 2025
There weren’t any needles, pokes, or prods involved, just a simple applicator patch that stuck to the side of my stomach to help the machine navigate where to output the energy.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
The rooftop pool and open-late bars draw a youngish crowd—lots of millennials with stick-and-pokes—of couples and friends, and absolutely zero kids (though the property is dog- and cat- friendly).
—Emily Wilson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The non-extinction of Zaglossus attenboroughi, in the Cyclops Mountains, first suspected in 2007 on evidence of nose pokes, was confirmed.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Williams pokes a single into the right field gap for an RBI.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
One TikTok video with over 949,000 likes pokes fun at Kempczinski's review by using similar wording to judge other McDonald's items.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti hired the FTI Consulting Firm, which pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.
—Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
The paper pokes holes in virtually all of Campbell’s assumptions, including the idea that college sports could replicate NBA and NFL revenues by pooling their games.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
As Luna in your financial quadrant pokes the Sun in your friendship zone, money boundaries and group expectations likely tug in different directions.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Amazon also strikes a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI.
—Dee-Ann Durbin, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Cucurella lands on the rebound and pokes in.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Other companies have incorporated AI into their Super Bowl commercials to a lesser extent, according to the outlet, and AI companies will return as well — a commercial from Anthropic pokes fun at ChatGPT incorporating ads.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pokes
Verb
-
The other two types are subserosal (which protrudes on the outside of the uterus) and intramural (which grow within the muscle layer).—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Baleen is a specialized type of bone that protrudes from the jaws like teeth and is used to filter small critters from the ocean water to feed.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If Washington overtly interferes in European elections or takes the dramatic step of annexing Greenland, the postwar alliance framework, already strained, could fracture.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
-
This Ministry frequently interferes in employers’ decisions, instigates acts of discrimination by authorities and organizations, brings weight to bear on the organs of justice and even orchestrates propaganda campaigns in the media.—
Jonny Diamond,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The attacks on Iran have already sent US gasoline prices higher, and will likely continue to climb as the war drags on.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
-
That's straining operating costs and ticket prices, both of which could become more expensive if airlines have to pay more for fuel the longer the war drags on.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the Bay Area slowly — some might say glacially — crawls into spring, there’s nothing better than sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee to warm yourself up.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a brain aneurysm is a weakened area in an artery that bulges outward and fills with blood.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
-
In Lost Lambs, the internet sabotages a family in much the same way that Napoleon messes things up for the Bezukhovs in Tolstoy’s War and Peace.—
Gideon Leek,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This is where Vietnam Syndrome still lingers — not as a slogan, but as a mindset.—
Ken Toltz,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Inflation lingers as gas prices fall While some measures of inflation have cooled in recent months, the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure has been stuck at about 3% for roughly a year.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The curved shadow of the Earth that creeps across the moon during lunar eclipses is key to humankind’s understanding of our planet.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pokes. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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