1
as in to pull
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to yank
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to interfere
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pry
Verb
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The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026 -
In Istanbul, a corn vendor is pulling bigger crowds than some of the city’s monuments.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The Venice Biennale opened its most chaotic and contested edition in recent memory on May 9, with the prestigious Golden Lion yanked from contention after the jury quit in protest of Israel’s and Russia’s participation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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Investors in Blackstone’s flagship private credit fund sought to yank 10% of their money this quarter, showing that the jitters engulfing the industry may be deepening.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The game was not yet codified, and teachers let students organize games without interfering in their play.—
Thomas Adam,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
-
Bliss made a furious comeback before Michin interfered, leading to a four-woman brawl on the outside.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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All closures were lifted about five hours after they were put in place.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
While a 100kW motor is far too small to lift a commercial airliner, the Strathclyde team views this success as the definitive proof of concept.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The two candidates agreed on a number of things, including opposition to a federal ban on hydraulic fracturing to extract oil, support for a ban on oil and gas leases on federal land and support for a boost in the federal minimum wage.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
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Investigators are also reportedly working to extract data from devices aboard the vessel – including an infrared camera – that may contain additional clues surrounding Lynette Hooker’s disappearance.—
Julia Bonavita , Adam Sabes , Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Millions and millions of people tuned in to watch Johnny Carson poke fun at everyone, identify and support up-and-coming comics, entertain with clever and timeless skits, bring on musical guests and tell jokes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Even Parsons himself poked fun at such notions.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Whatever is plucked from the vegetable patch that day appears on the menu, accompanied by dangerously tasty sourdough, fermented using the appley waste from the cider production.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Decisive to their survival was the no-name midfielder Sabatini plucked out of Brazil.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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This man is not to be messed with.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
From pet hair to crumbs, this Shark handheld cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle messes large and small, thanks to strong suction and a self-cleaning brush that resists pet hair accumulation.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pry. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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