pry 1 of 2

verb (1)

Definition of prynext
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

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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

pry

2 of 2

verb (2)

ˈprī How to pronounce pry (audio)
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
  1. pull
  2. yank
  3. interfere
  4. lift
  5. extract
  6. poke
  7. pluck
  8. mess
Verb
  • The upstart golf league has had its future in flux for months after it was revealed that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would pull its backing for LIV at the end of this season.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The vibes are awkward all around, and things only get weirder when Emira pulls Georgia aside to chat.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • But with the Supreme Court sanctioning a White House immigration crackdown, Nelson’s permission to stay in the country appears likely to be yanked within days, leaving French worried.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Karol then appeared to try deescalating the abrupt encounter, but she was yanked by the fan again before security escorted him from the stage.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 July 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • Charlotte Flair and Chelsea Green both qualified on television, Green over Kiana James and Flair over Nia Jax by disqualification after Jade Cargill interfered.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Intelligence agencies assessed in 2021 that China and other foreign countries did not try to interfere in technical aspects of the 2020 election, including voter registration processes.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Definition of interfere
Verb
  • If fiscal spending lifts growth and productivity, markets will be more forgiving.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Speaking from their home in Birmingham, Alabama, over video, Nan Skier lifted her hand to show the very first piece from their collection, which fits comfortably on her index finger.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Asteroid mining is also mentioned as a potential opportunity, which would entail extracting metals and other critical resources from near-Earth and main-belt asteroids.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The company based in the Boston-area city of Woburn, Massachusetts, plans to build a bigger facility to extract and produce critical metals needed in not only defense but also the aerospace and automotive industries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • The family dog, named by local media as Rocky, was found alive after one of the rescuers spotted his tail poking out of the rubble.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • While viral videos poke fun, territorial scrums over scarce Costco spots can turn ugly, and sometimes violent.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • The spa The on-site spa could never be a flashy, luxury spa plucked from any random resort.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • However, no amount of personal story can pluck out the thorn in our side that Janet versus Danny.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • The only way to mess this up is to not allow yourself the opportunity to touch it again and again and again.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • In Argentina, however, the Barras bravas remain a muscular, not-to-be-messed-with presence.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of mess
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.

Browse Nearby Words

prurient
pry
prying
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Cite this Entry

“Pry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pry. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pry for Spanish Speakers

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