pries 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of pry
1
as in pulls
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever it took some effort to pry up the trap door

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plucks
to draw out by force or with effort a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pries

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of pry
as in interferes
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern don't go prying into other people's business

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pries
Verb
The show’s biggest laugh may come when Testa pries open Costanzo’s mouth and pronounces just how many performances of Norma Galas has left. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 There are swooping close encounters with heavenly bodies, Lego blocks in antigravity mode and swarms of Separators, a sort of astro-anthropomorphic version of the tool that pries apart Lego bricks in real life. — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026 Could this be the year Johannesburg pries visitors away from Cape Town with a cool new city hotel and a dynamic dining scene, or when sunseekers take another look at Mauritius instead of the Maldives? — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pries
  1. pulls
  2. plucks
  3. interferes
  4. lifts
  5. extracts
  6. pokes
  7. yanks
  8. messes
Verb
  • Dembele’s pace stretches defenses, Olise has developed into one of Europe’s most creative playmakers and Barcola's intelligent movement constantly pulls defenders out of position.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • As Otto groans, Rhaenrya pulls back and cleaves off Otto's head.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 June 2026
Definition of pulls
Verb
  • His torso and thighs grow eye-poppingly muscular beneath their skimpy fur-and-leather togs—a development that does not go unnoticed by a warrior named Red Hair, who plucks the young hunk from his post and tosses him into the prime time of the gladiator pit.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • But the emotional gravity of this offering's deeply personal, melancholic lyrical content plucks an undeniably profound chord that uniquely separates it from the rest of his work.
    — Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Definition of plucks
Verb
  • Here’s when to watch and how to catch the best views before bright moonlight interferes.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • If Damascus interferes in Lebanon, sectarian violence could follow, as the Syrian military presence would likely be interpreted as direct opposition to Hezbollah’s Shiite fighters.
    — Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
Definition of interferes
Verb
  • According to the orders placing the counties under quarantine, the quarantine will remain in effect until the commission lifts it.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • This lifts the hull out of the water, reducing hydrodynamic drag and minimizing wake generation.
    — David Szondy June 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2026
Definition of lifts
Verb
  • Those contracts call for Next Hydrogen to design and deliver an electrolyzer that extracts tritium from heavy water, a critical process for preparing fuel used in future fusion reactors.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026
  • This process extracts the melon’s precious juice and preserves its vivid color.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 June 2026
Definition of extracts
Verb
  • The second is a vent which pokes out above your clothes, to move warm air away from you.
    — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Perched on a finger of land that pokes into Lebanon, Metula is usually crowded with tourists this time of year.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Definition of pokes
Verb
  • Like a false note on an out-of-tune piano, a clunky verb, a sentence without rhythm, yanks the reader out the flow of the work.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
  • Maden takes thee wine bottle from him and the officers reach for his wrists but Brown resists and yanks his arms back, the video shows.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Definition of yanks
Verb
  • Ships, like airplanes, are designed with fluid dynamics in mind, and biofoul seriously messes that up.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • From pet hair to crumbs, this Shark handheld cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle messes large and small, thanks to strong suction and a self-cleaning brush that resists pet hair accumulation.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Definition of messes

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Cite this Entry

“Pries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pries. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pries

Nglish: Translation of pries for Spanish Speakers

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