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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
saw his head poking through the window
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in messing
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 lingering
to move or act slowly
just poked around all morning and didn't accomplish much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dragging
to move slowly
they were just poking along home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poking
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
His father came around the corner in time to see his arms poking up above the rim, a cartoon character in need of rescue.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
Do poking wires, falling straps, and gaping cups ruin your day?
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the girl let on that her classmate had indeed been bothering her, poking her in the back and face with his fingers — but did not say the boy had threatened to kill her, according to the police report.
—Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
Common themes range from poking fun at the deputies' appearances (comparing them to Family Guy's Peter Griffin and Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame) to more serious allegations of extramarital affairs and pedophilia amongst department members.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
The villains in this TikTok trend are clear, with most of the videos poking fun at narcissistic, annoying, or outright delusional people that just seem to be an inescapable part of life these days.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s even a white serving bowl fashioned after a classic Easter basket, with an adorable ceramic bunny poking out.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
Users across social media responded to the TMZ headline with a wave of sarcastic comments, each one poking at how trivial the original report seemed.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
But rather than big Hawaiian swells, these waves were the crashing sounds of social media users poking fun at the look of the upcoming Disney film.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
His father came around the corner in time to see his arms poking up above the rim, a cartoon character in need of rescue.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
Do poking wires, falling straps, and gaping cups ruin your day?
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the girl let on that her classmate had indeed been bothering her, poking her in the back and face with his fingers — but did not say the boy had threatened to kill her, according to the police report.
—Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
Common themes range from poking fun at the deputies' appearances (comparing them to Family Guy's Peter Griffin and Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame) to more serious allegations of extramarital affairs and pedophilia amongst department members.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
The villains in this TikTok trend are clear, with most of the videos poking fun at narcissistic, annoying, or outright delusional people that just seem to be an inescapable part of life these days.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s even a white serving bowl fashioned after a classic Easter basket, with an adorable ceramic bunny poking out.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2026
Users across social media responded to the TMZ headline with a wave of sarcastic comments, each one poking at how trivial the original report seemed.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poking
Adjective
-
So the coming months are a period for cocktails in bigger glasses, vessels that welcome more liquid for more leisurely sipping.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Otherwise, consider the more posh neighborhoods of Chelsea and Kensington—ideal for leisurely days spent browsing boutiques and art galleries or strolling over to Notting Hill for coffee and craft bakeries.—
Katharine Sohn,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the bathroom, a chemical meant to make trace blood more visible reacted in the sink and the bathtub, while a visible bloodstain was found under the protruding edge of a vanity, Hooks said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In the video, large swaths of brown earth can be seen protruding patches of mountain snow.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But now, with its Major League Baseball opening night rights, the streamer is messing with the wrong fan base.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Tulane’s other big contingent, activist investors, have been a bit defanged by AI, which is messing with companies’ strategies and their ability to credibly critique them.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In our present moment, as the production and consumption of hot takes continues to accelerate, there is a powerful form of resistance to be found in lingering with the unfamiliar, in offering attention without the promise of a quick take-away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But right now, while the press is still bad and the lawsuits are still dragging, sellers should take a breath.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Affecting the first two receptors means retatrutide may help suppress appetite and slow digestion, which can help users feel full after eating even smaller meals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Long train rides and other slow travel between places offer exactly the meditative in-between space your nervous system is craving.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The next shower to peak is the Eta Aquariids on May 5-6, when sky-gazers can expect to see less than 10 meteors per hour because of the interfering moonlight, according to the American Meteor Society.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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Bonta filed an emergency petition with the state Fourth Court of Appeals on Monday to stop Bianco, a candidate in the 2026 governor’s race, after Bianco seized 657,322 ballots and accused Bonta of interfering in his office’s investigation into voter fraud.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maritime trade is crawling at Georgia’s ports, but the state authority that operates the nation’s third-busiest cargo terminals isn’t throttling back its expansion efforts.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
An unusually strong high pressure system in the middle to upper levels of the atmosphere has been crawling across the southwestern United States in the past day or so, forecasters said.—
Roberto Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poking. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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