POKING Synonyms: 219 Similar and Opposite Words

poking 1 of 2

adjective

as in leisurely

moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed the poking pace of the repair work has put everything way behind schedule

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

poking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of poke

as in protruding

to extend outward beyond a usual point saw his head poking through the window

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in messing

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern told him to stop poking into other people's business

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as in lingering

to move or act slowly just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dragging

to move slowly they were just poking along home

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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 poking

Verb

Most of what’s actionable comes from the signal that might be poking through. — Ben Gretch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 In the shade of a dense forest canopy, Odette Kouakou paces through her grove of cocoa trees, snapping off dead leaves and poking the ripe yellow pods hanging down from the branches with a stick. — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2026 Bali Double-Support Wireless Bra The bra’s signature M-frame creates a sturdy structure that supports your chest sans underwire — thereby avoiding any digging, pinching, or poking throughout the day. — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026 But Vicki immediately goes past Meredith Marks (disengaging) to Amanda Frances (opening her laptop and working), even as the others try to earn their paychecks by poking at her. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026 Milk Stage of Kernels Check the kernels on an ear by poking it with your fingernail. — Danielle Ernest, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026 In one shot, the spikes of a stegosaurus’s tail, poking out over a row of foliage, wittily suggest a shark’s fin breaking the surface. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 In a video of the evacuation Enciso pulled up on his phone, Ravenswood streets are indistinguishable from the adjacent waterway – save for cars and rooftops poking up through the flood. — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 15 Aug. 2026 Carrington has previously garnered controversy for poking Cunningham's teammate Caitlin Clark in the eye during the 2024 playoffs, and making controversial statements in the media. — Jackson Thompson , Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poking

Adjective

That turned a familiar one-run game, of which the Dodgers have had a lot lately, into a leisurely Sunday stroll.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Unfolding at a more leisurely pace, the upcoming lunar eclipse will have a much bigger audience than Europe’s solar show.

— Marcia Dunn, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Verb

Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.

— Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty.

— Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of protruding

Verb

Rain has already begun to move across the Big Island and is expected to continue through at least Monday, with lingering rain still impacting some of the islands possibly on Tuesday.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
If any lingering question of home-court advantage persisted, it was made crystal clear in the final 30 seconds who had the biggest backing, as Barclays erupted in celebration of the Liberty’s game-winning plays down the stretch.

— Annie Costabile, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of lingering

Verb

As mentioned previously, Babcock obstinately played a late-career Marleau in significant minutes during his time in Toronto with dragging results.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
The officer ordered him to stop, but the man continued driving, dragging the officer a short distance.

— Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of dragging

Adjective

The challenge is that the hydrogen evolution reaction is slower in alkaline environments, increasing the need for catalysts that can deliver high activity without rapidly losing performance.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
As Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet premier and promised new openness with a policy of glasnost, a slow thaw would begin toward free speech, human rights, the release of political dissidents and relaxed restrictions on emigration.

— Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of slow

Verb

However, according to the report, violence is increasing in museum thefts, with thieves using instruments such as dynamite, guns, and sledgehammers to gain access to treasures and deter employees from interfering.

— News Desk, Artforum, 24 Aug. 2026
Other kids can, too, without their parents interfering on Facebook groups.

— Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

One of the groups was seen leaving about three hours afterward, according to the NYPD, while the second odd circumstance ended after individuals were seen crawling out and leaving in a vehicle more than two and a half hours after.

— Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Nidhi imagined the baby crawling around in her mother’s body, desperately seeking the uterus, and, failing to find it in its proper place, quietly shrivelling up and dying.

— Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026