poke
verb
poked; poking
1
2
a
: to cause to project
poked her head out of the window
b
: to make (one's way) by poking
poked his way through the ruins
c
: to interpose or interject in a meddlesome manner
asked him not to poke his nose into other people's business
1
a
: to make a prodding, jabbing, or thrusting movement especially repeatedly
b
: to strike out at something
2
3
: to move or act slowly or aimlessly
just poked around and didn't accomplish much
4
: to become stuck out or forward : protrude
see also:
Examples of poke in a Sentence
I accidentally poked my finger right through the old fabric.
Throwing pencils is not allowed because someone's eye could get poked out.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently isn’t amused by a new board game that pokes fun at the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s reputation for garnering foul calls at the hint of contact by an opposing player.
—
Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Michelle Montez, a flight attendant for 20 years, said barely a flight goes by where someone doesn’t poke, tap, prod or otherwise touch her.
—Hannah Sampson, Washington Post, 28 May 2026
Beyond, island peaks poked out of the haze, accenting the blue sky above.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026
The tissues not only kept producing cells and showed signs of an active immune system but continued to move and respond to being poked, even after months of being detached.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
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Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Michelle Montez, a flight attendant for 20 years, said barely a flight goes by where someone doesn’t poke, tap, prod or otherwise touch her.
—Hannah Sampson, Washington Post, 28 May 2026
Beyond, island peaks poked out of the haze, accenting the blue sky above.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026
The tissues not only kept producing cells and showed signs of an active immune system but continued to move and respond to being poked, even after months of being detached.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poke
Cite this Entry
“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poke. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poke
1 of 3 noun
chiefly Southern & Midland
poke
2 of 3 verb
poked; poking
1
c
: to produce by piercing, stabbing, or jabbing
poke a hole
2
: to stick out or cause to stick out
poked her head out the window
3
: to be nosy especially about things that do not concern one
4
: to search over or through usually without purpose : rummage
poking around in the attic
5
: to move slowly or lazily
they were just poking along home
poke
3 of 3 noun
: a quick thrust : jab
Etymology
Middle English poke "bag, sack," from an early French dialect word poke (same meaning)
Middle English poken "to jab, prod"
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
