as in squeezed
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plucked
Yet there’s a relaxed comfort to dinner in the airy concrete-floored loft, starting with the Taiwanese sausage that arrives as an early bite, wedged into homemade brioche like a tiny hot dog and plucked up between two fingers.
—
The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
The Orioles plucked him in the Rule 5 draft after a tragic plane crash claimed their top catching prospect.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
By the finale, Gaal is no longer the uncertain mathematician plucked from obscurity.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
While some issues don’t require attention, a hornworm needs to be plucked and pronto.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Cinematographer Jaime Ackroyd certainly captures Scotland’s majesty, but there is no character to the frames, which look like they could be plucked out of a commercial from a tourism bureau.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Witnesses also said that protesters were setting fire to the homes of some politicians in Kathmandu, and local media reported that some ministers were plucked to safety by military helicopters.
—Gopal Sharma, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The Minimalist The latest crop of sleek, minimal leather jackets feel plucked from Gwyneth Paltrow in the 90s, in the best possible way.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
There were no stoves in the cabins, so Huse plucked native oranges off the trees to make everyone freezer pies.
—Gabrielle Calise, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
The Orioles plucked him in the Rule 5 draft after a tragic plane crash claimed their top catching prospect.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
By the finale, Gaal is no longer the uncertain mathematician plucked from obscurity.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
While some issues don’t require attention, a hornworm needs to be plucked and pronto.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Cinematographer Jaime Ackroyd certainly captures Scotland’s majesty, but there is no character to the frames, which look like they could be plucked out of a commercial from a tourism bureau.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Witnesses also said that protesters were setting fire to the homes of some politicians in Kathmandu, and local media reported that some ministers were plucked to safety by military helicopters.
—Gopal Sharma, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The Minimalist The latest crop of sleek, minimal leather jackets feel plucked from Gwyneth Paltrow in the 90s, in the best possible way.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
There were no stoves in the cabins, so Huse plucked native oranges off the trees to make everyone freezer pies.
—Gabrielle Calise, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucked
Verb
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At one point, Detroit squeezed 38 points out of six possessions, turning a close game into a major reality check for the Bears.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Why American farmers are feeling squeezed It's been a tough year for America's farmers.—
Bailey Schulz,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Farnaz Farjam, one of the show’s executive producers, told Deadline that the production hustled to find a way to capture all three elements.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
1 Sep. 2025
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The band hustled to build their social-media accounts, play shows, and produce a new EP.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Salt stung eyes and clung to skin, while the smell of brine and fish hung heavy in the air.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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That has also stung Club name Texas Roadhouse .—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Passed over to his hapless son (Dacre Montgomery), our (anti-)hero wires a shotgun to his head and takes him hostage, claiming that the organization’s business maneuvers cheated him out of a substantial fortune.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
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The woman lives alone, AFP added, citing local media outlets, and was ultimately cheated out of approximately 1 million yen, or about $6,700.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In Europe, blocs are built on consensus—27 countries all needing to agree—so, understandably, they get stuck.—
Koray Köse,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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After being stuck on a boss, eternally forced to run back and replay swaths of danger for just another slim shot at winning, overcoming most challenges feels less like triumph and more like someone’s mercifully loosened the belt around your neck.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bill Skarsgård stars as Kiritsis, a societal outcast who feels he’s been screwed over by the powers that be.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
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There's a channel that runs down the bottom of the down tube that the cables sit in, held in place by a plastic cover that's screwed onto the frame.—
JOHN TIMMER,
ArsTechnica,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Golden Bears opened the 2024 season by beating UC Davis 31-13, Auburn 21-14 and SDSU 31-10.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
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The South Korean automaker is projected to easily beat 2024 sales numbers for both EV models.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plucked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucked. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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