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

My physical study, on the floor, poking at what was there in the open field of the air, led to newfound levels of learning to process, in poems on the page, where my initial feelings of hunger came from. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 In a recent interview with OutKick Dropkick, Hefner was already poking the bear in hopes of getting eyes on his event. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Ellis was pulled after Sam Reinhart tied the game at 2 by poking in a loose puck that dribbled into the crease behind the goalie. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 The persona non grata formerly known as Prince Andrew is suddenly feeling emboldened, poking his head over the parapet of Marsh Farm, a relatively modest five-bedroom farmhouse on the King’s Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk. — Ashley Baker, Air Mail, 10 Oct. 2026 Video posted to social media showed one car nearly submerged, with just its sunroof poking above the water, as people moved other vehicles farther from the rising tides. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026 One of the most iconic fall looks is a pair of tall boots with a knit sock poking over the top. — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 And in those text messages, the fiancé, Richard Falor, appears to be poking holes in her story in the days following Park's disappearance. — Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Even Watford’s mascot got involved, standing behind one of the goalposts ahead of the game and poking its head out with a binocular gesture. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poking

Adjective

Guests also have access to a sunny terrace and a shared pool, ideal for leisurely afternoons.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
But for me the wow factor started weeks out with a leisurely but extremely detailed call with a kindly staffer who took down all of our details.

— Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Verb

Once fished to the brink of extinction globally, sand tiger sharks, that iconic aquarium shark with a jaw of protruding, jagged teeth that only a mother could love, have been increasing in the Boston Harbor over the last decade.

— Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026
The face is a glossy black plastic with the exterior lenses slightly protruding, keeping the front from looking like a single flat surface.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of protruding

Verb

Mostly hidden from our daily view, the machinery for making white meat—a chemical and metabolic system of planetary scope—will be a lingering trace of human presence in the annals of Earth history.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
By Saturday morning, lingering snow is likely at high elevations in Yosemite National Park and near Mammoth Mountain.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of lingering

Verb

Most damage to the undersea cables that form the Internet’s backbone is the result of accidents involving bottom-trawling fishing nets and ship anchors dragging on the seabed, with storms and undersea landslides also factoring in.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
There’s nothing neutral about dragging your feet, and a rigorous investigation of crimes is the only job of the Justice Department.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of dragging

Adjective

The course of Alzheimer’s disease is slightly slower than that of Lewy body dementia, according to Vossel.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
The team found that slower charging helped create more uniform, inorganic-rich protective layers, which are important for maintaining stable battery performance.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of slow

Verb

Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro also warned Canada last month against interfering in the midterms.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Its inclusion in the documentary has provided ammunition for Musk supporters and his lawyers to discredit the film, pointing to an unfounded conspiracy theory about SpaceX’s Starlink satellites interfering in the election.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

On thinner material, that gives you a fighting chance at keeping heat and warpage under control without crawling along at a miserable pace.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Prior to then, traffic was seen crawling on the eastbound side of the bridge heading into the city.

— Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026