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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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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as in dragging

to move slowly they were just poking along home

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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

Traditionally, there’s this rendering of hell as a dark cave with fire, and there’s the devil with a pitchfork poking everybody with it. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 With the help of Nollet, Anderson’s hair was blown and teased away from her forehead, with tinges of pink poking through. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026 Polymarket dropped him like a hot potato, though, once the CFTC began poking into his suspicious Kalshi bets. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Sep. 2026 Seething at his dad for poking at his body insecurities, the comedian dealt with his emotions like any good millennial — by podcasting about it. — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Wear the fall wardrobe staple layered, like Brinkley did under a cardigan with the lace poking through, or style it on its own when the weather is a little warmer. — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Still, Langley didn’t take Doja’s remarks to heart, even poking fun in a recent social media post. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poking

Adjective

Before a night out filling your belly with local grub in the Old Port (which is a leisurely 20 minutes away on foot), hit the Five of Clubs bar for a seasonal drink like the cantaloupe- and lemon-laced Melancholia, along with half a dozen oysters.

— Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 7 Sep. 2026
In lower Manhattan and beyond — caught by paparazzi — he can be seen out and about in big sunglasses and tiny shorts, taking leisurely strolls with his fiancée, Zoë Kravitz.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Verb

As has the part where Reacher uses his left paw with two nails protruding from the palm as a makeshift Wolverine/Freddy Krueger stabbin’ hand.

— Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
For the hunters, a massive grey orb with a ramp protruding from it is one clue.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of protruding

Verb

Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
For evening observers, this apparition has been more frustrating than triumphant, with Venus lingering low in the glow of twilight instead of climbing into a commanding position.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of lingering

Verb

Shares of Bank of America fell about 5% on Monday, dragging other financials with it, as investors baked in lower positive operating leverage this year.

— Jeff Marks, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
That is complemented by Fernandes dragging Dias out of position, which allows Mbeumo to attack the vacated space.

— Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of dragging

Adjective

Complex carbs with fiber slow digestion and sugar absorption, while protein and fat further delay digestion, helping to stabilize blood sugar.

— Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026
Longer messages mean slower communication, so people who study error-correcting codes devise more elaborate schemes to minimize the redundancy in the transmissions while maximizing the number of errors that can be corrected.

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of slow

Verb

By preventing excess slack and eliminating interfering contours, the PBU minimizes collision risks across complex movement paths.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
Under the law, federal officers are prohibited from interfering in elections.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

The inspector also saw a roach couple crawling under the three-compartment sink.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Sacramento County Health Inspectors gave a red placard to a Curtis Park doughnut shop after finding dozens of German cockroaches, including one crawling into the space behind the standing mixer.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026