as in tugs
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
a quick pluck pulled the hair right out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in squeezes
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
the Internet opened up a whole new medium for con artists to pluck the gullible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plucks
Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 20 Dec. 2025
As Natalie walks away from Shayne, possibly for good, and as Venus and some entity named Gabby lunge for each other, Katie Maloney Schwartz Maloney plucks out her earbuds, pulls her sunglasses off her cunty little bob, closes her copy of The Shards, and packs up her bag.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
The Lizzie McGuire star, 38, then plucks a pair of Munchkins from their box.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
The dog jumps up and plucks the burger from her—a move that left viewers stunned and amused by the canine's flawless execution.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
There may be even greater reasons to put an ad that plucks the heartstrings in front of a broader crowd.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Suddenly, Jeff Parker plucks a sighing six-note guitar run, dropping his shoulders into a solo section that carries the tune to its swooning conclusion.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucks
Noun
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These motorcycles were so well-built that they were even employed in both World Wars, mainly as dispatch bikes and sidecar tugs for the British armed forces.—
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The first, known as the radial velocity technique, looks for slight wobbles in the star’s position, as the gravity of an orbiting exoplanet tugs it one way and then the other.—
Verb
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As the moon follows an elliptical path, Saturn’s gravity stretches and squeezes it.—
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View gallery - 12 images This recently completed tiny house squeezes a lot of living space into a compact footprint using clever design.—
Noun
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The days when there were only a few options for kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls are long gone.—
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Adventure Intel One of the big pulls of Reset Hotel is its proximity to the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, which is generally less crowded than its southern counterpart.—
Verb
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The pair goes out and hustles other players with a cunning ruse that relies on the era’s racial and ethnic divisions.—
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The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.—
Verb
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January 20 – February 18 When pride stings, compassion clears the air.—
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Smith’s squad finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season with 59 points before falling to New York City FC in the opening round, a defeat that still stings months later.—
Verb
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Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.—
Verb
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Research in habit formation consistently shows that behavior sticks when it is tied to context cues, environment and routine rather than motivation alone.—
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Let’s hope the finale sticks the landing.—
Verb
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But this has been a glorious year regardless of whether Miami beats the Indiana-Oregon winner or not.—
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That beats using a garage or carport.—
Cite this Entry
“Plucks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucks. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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