1
as in pull
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
it takes pluck to survive a crippling car accident and still go on to become successful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to squeeze
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pluck
Philip Elliott, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
In 2015, an exceedingly polite, marmalade-slurping fellow in a floppy felt hat and blue duffel coat arrived in theaters and offered an uplifting story about tolerance and pluck.
—Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
The rest of Shahn’s résumé from the thirties reads like that of a lefty artist plucked from central casting.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pluck
Noun
Yes, Republicans have been getting an earful from their districts, but those skirmishes are going to look perfectly benign compared to what a vindictive Trump could unleash for lawmakers who show too much pluck.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
In 2015, an exceedingly polite, marmalade-slurping fellow in a floppy felt hat and blue duffel coat arrived in theaters and offered an uplifting story about tolerance and pluck.
—Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
Fox’s fashion, on the other hand, drew a stark contrast, comprised of an exaggerated baby-doll dress plucked straight from Jacobs’ spring 2025 collection.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
The rest of Shahn’s résumé from the thirties reads like that of a lefty artist plucked from central casting.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pluck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pluck
Noun
-
Earth's natural satellite exerts a powerful gravitational pull that generally slows our rotation over long timescales.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
On these days, the moon will be at its furthest from the Earth's equator, changing its gravitational pull and causing our planet to spin just a tiny bit faster on its axis, according to science news website LiveScience.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Ethical Memory Vault: A secure story engine that records acts of moral courage—feeding these back into leadership training, AI models and onboarding systems.—
Shekar Natarajan,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Hutchins later credited Jenner with giving her the courage to make the same transition.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Kalvin Phillips squeezes a pass through the gap and into Omari Hutchinson, taking three Forest players out of the game.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
Marlene alleged her son grabbed and started to squeeze her throat.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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Aim to finish with a clear success - whether that's catching the toy or winning a tug game.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
This formula strikes the perfect balance between grit and hydration—natural sea salt boosts volume and definition, while moringa seed oil helps lock in moisture and adds a healthy sheen to curls and waves.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
30 June 2025
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Fatigue is reframed as grit, while emotional exhaustion is labeled as discipline, and recovery is viewed as optional.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Verb
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The bees became aggressive and stung the man multiple times.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
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Opting for a two-piece swimsuit in favor of a one-piece could also reduce your chances of getting stung.—
Evan Moore
July 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Running on a level surface (in supportive shoes—see above!) can serve as plenty a cardio workout without the extra yank on your plantar fascia.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
20 June 2025
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Four yanks later, voila: Clayton had pulled free his prize, leaving just a single strand of nylon stuck in the Alamodome rim.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Palencia’s ability to lock in after hitting Contreras showed his self-confidence and mental fortitude not to let the game spiral after the heated exchange.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2025
-
Belief is a cornerstone of the Williams family and the eldest son, as a result, developed mental fortitude early.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pluck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pluck. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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