ROOKS Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

rooks 1 of 2

noun

plural of rook

as in novices

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity every year the coaches have to deal with rooks who don't know the rules yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rooks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rook

as in plucks

to rob by the use of trickery or threats once you learn to recognize these swindler's tricks, no one will be able to use them to rook you

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 rooks

Noun

This strategy has been seen among wild jackdaws and wild rooks. — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 1 May 2026 But this isn’t the Queen’s Gambit, and at 4 and 6, Bluey and Bingo aren’t interested in prawns (pawns), castle heads (rooks), or pom pom elves (bishops). — Hannah Silverman, Parents, 15 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rooks

Noun

Knowledgeable bartenders guide novices and obsessives alike, making an overwhelming list feel approachable rather than intimidating.

— USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Some are tennis novices while others, like Foon, are coming off a long pause.

— Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of novices

Verb

His torso and thighs grow eye-poppingly muscular beneath their skimpy fur-and-leather togs—a development that does not go unnoticed by a warrior named Red Hair, who plucks the young hunk from his post and tosses him into the prime time of the gladiator pit.

— Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
But the emotional gravity of this offering's deeply personal, melancholic lyrical content plucks an undeniably profound chord that uniquely separates it from the rest of his work.

— Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026

Definition of plucks

Noun

There, King Charles works with head gardener Gráinne Ring and her team of 15, including apprentices, to cultivate the 15 acres of blooms, hedges, trees and more.

— Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
According to accounts by Wright’s apprentices, after procrastinating on drawing any plans for nine months, Wright designed the house in two hours in September 1935 while the Kaufmanns were driving to his office to review them.

— Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2026

Definition of apprentices

Verb

Jessica Gonzalez hustles behind her booth at the recent Renegade Craft Fair, frantically ringing up sales, answering questions and packaging her beeswax candles.

— Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Despite concerns that chip stocks could be topping out as the industry hustles to boost supply, Wall Street thinks Micron still has plenty of room to run.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 22 June 2026

Definition of hustles

Noun

More will be revealed when pads come on, especially considering this is a position that generally isn’t kind to rookies.

— Chad Graff, New York Times, 30 July 2026
On Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs’ veterans joined rookies and quarterbacks for the team’s first full-squad practice of training camp.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026

Definition of rookies

Noun

The activity's simplicity means beginners can start light and progress gradually, even using household items for weight.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Ryerson said the terrain itself can be as critical as instruction in helping beginners progress.

— David Caraccio Updated July 31, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of beginners

Verb

For van Ess, the decision particularly stings because Google Earth has long been regarded as one of the best tools to verify information posted on social media.

— Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 31 July 2026
The female locates and stings a large insect such as a cicada or katydid and then brings it back to the burrow.

— Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

Definition of stings

Browse Nearby Words

rooking

rooks

room

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rooks. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rooks

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on rooks

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes