1
as in bending
to cause to turn away from a straight line
the pitcher hooked the ball, and the batter missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in connecting
to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole
hooked up three short chains together to make a longer necklace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stealing
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
the monkey hooked four bananas from the basket and scampered away to enjoy them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
I hooked the biggest fish of the day, and then released it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
hang the bird feeder on a branch that hooks upward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hooking
And, to no one's disappointment, seasons 2 and 3 followed suit, hooking fans even more.
—
Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Also mentioned is an auto-hitch system to simplify hooking it up to the tow vehicle.
—New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2026
The great Amazon in its north drains large areas as does the Parana-River Plate watershed to its south that reaches the Atlantic in the estuary between Argentina and Uruguay, The San Francisco flows north for hundreds of miles before hooking a right and dropping to the Atlantic.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
The Golden Knights got their first power play 5 seconds after their penalty expired as New Jersey's Nico Hischier was whistled for hooking.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The third came four seconds after the Bruins killed an Eyssimont hooking penalty.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Hahn and Jeff Glaid, the WGFD biologist who conducted the study, told a room full of anglers in 2024 that if regulations didn’t change, and hooking injuries to fish — like bottom jaws torn off and severe scarring — continued, the department would have to start restocking in earnest.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The rescuer takes two trips, hooking each passenger up to a line, then hoisting them from the beach, the video shows.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
By then Carolina had extended its advantage to two thanks again to Jarvis, who capitalized on the visitors’ third power play – hooking by Jackson LaCombe – with a one-time wrist shot from the right circle for his sixth goal of the season.
—Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Also mentioned is an auto-hitch system to simplify hooking it up to the tow vehicle.
—New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2026
The great Amazon in its north drains large areas as does the Parana-River Plate watershed to its south that reaches the Atlantic in the estuary between Argentina and Uruguay, The San Francisco flows north for hundreds of miles before hooking a right and dropping to the Atlantic.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
The Golden Knights got their first power play 5 seconds after their penalty expired as New Jersey's Nico Hischier was whistled for hooking.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The third came four seconds after the Bruins killed an Eyssimont hooking penalty.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Hahn and Jeff Glaid, the WGFD biologist who conducted the study, told a room full of anglers in 2024 that if regulations didn’t change, and hooking injuries to fish — like bottom jaws torn off and severe scarring — continued, the department would have to start restocking in earnest.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The rescuer takes two trips, hooking each passenger up to a line, then hoisting them from the beach, the video shows.
—Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
By then Carolina had extended its advantage to two thanks again to Jarvis, who capitalized on the visitors’ third power play – hooking by Jackson LaCombe – with a one-time wrist shot from the right circle for his sixth goal of the season.
—Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooking
Verb
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Although the legislation impacts renters and landlords across the city, the proposal was introduced after residents of the Serra Grove apartment complex complained their new landlord was bending substantial renovation rules to clear out longtime renters and re-list units at double the price.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Harvesting plants grown on trellises requires less bending and stretching and can be easier on your back.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The program will focus on career exploration and work-based learning for students across three school districts, connecting classrooms with local employers.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
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Very social by nature, Marie enjoys connecting with others and forms strong bonds with both peers and adults when a genuine connection is made.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mood shifted around midnight, when a guest lost her phone and began accusing others of stealing it, authorities said.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Two more people were arrested after allegedly stealing about $1 million in gold jewelry in the January smash-and-grab robbery of a Yuba City jewelry store, police said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hearing the faint sirens of the white police officers who have been monitoring the area for no real reason, Kid attempts to blend into the party by grabbing the mic of the bored DJ—played by Parliament-Funkadelic’s George Clinton—to freestyle.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
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Or, Stein recommends grabbing a bed/mattress vacuum that is made specifically for the mattress.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The entry opens to a dramatic foyer with a sweeping staircase with curving iron balusters.—
Lynn Slaney Silguero,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
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An industrial landscape gives way to vast marshes spliced by curving waterways.—
Kara Newman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Reaching 6 to 10 feet tall with arching branches, this tree's foliage becomes more intense with greater sun exposure.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
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Over the remainder of the half, the Broncos committed five turnovers and would have been down by even more at the break if not for a high-arching 3-pointer at the buzzer from Buchanan.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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More broadly, this work highlights a promising pathway for integrating solar energy directly into electrochemical energy storage, potentially bridging the gap between renewable energy harvesting and efficient energy utilization, according to researchers.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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By integrating supplier data and focusing on high-impact variables such as product weight, organizations can achieve significant improvements in emissions accuracy, according to the Higg Index’s exclusive licensee.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 2020, just prior to the onset of the pandemic, ESPN had designs on swiping Romo from CBS with a $15 million per year contract.—
Andrew Marchand,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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Home security camera footage captured a suspect wearing black clothing and glasses swiping the bear off the front porch of the Lakeshore Drive home.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooking. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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