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
  • Carl drops onto the couch, pulls Maribeth down on top of him.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • When Randle pulls a defender into the paint, Porter has room to shoot if the ball comes back out.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • Ignoring that rule could get flood insurance coverage yanked for an entire community.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Now, historic preservation advocates say, the government is trying to yank the public's power away.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • The spokesperson defended China's religious policies, saying the government protects freedom of religious belief under Chinese law and does not interfere in religious groups' internal affairs.
    — Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The government later clarified that Moscow’s attempts to interfere were unsuccessful.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of interfere
Verb
  • Low clouds that developed overnight gradually lifted and scattered, allowing more sunshine and temperatures to climb into the lower 90s.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Colorado Sports Betting Laws and Timeline When the federal ban on sports betting was lifted, Colorado was among the first to act.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of lift
Verb
  • Rising global demand to extract battery metals like cobalt, nickel, and manganese makes mining increasingly likely.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Both the driver and semi were taken to the Newton-Azrak Station in Murrieta, where hazardous response specialists extracted the liquid contents from the tank, which tested positive for meth, the release said.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • Some, including the Idaho Potato Commission, swear that the way a baked potato is opened affects the texture, eschewing a knife for a fork to gently poke a plus sign into the surface.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
  • From ceviche and poke to pasta and tacos, the menu revolves around the catch of the day, which is sourced from local markets.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • As the party winded down, guests plucked final bites off silver platters and marveled at how tall Skarsgård truly is in person—his nearly six-foot-five frame barely fit under the bar’s low ceilings.
    — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Starring alongside Amell is a slew of objectively hot influencers and models plucked straight off the TikTok FYP, including Noah Beck, Olivia Dunne, and Brooks Nader.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • That book really messed me up in the sense of nothing is promised.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Had a couple calls in here that messed it up a little bit, but that’s the game.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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