hooking

verb

present participle of hook
1
as in bending
to cause to turn away from a straight line the pitcher hooked the ball, and the batter missed

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 hooking Guides tailor each day around conditions and what’s running, with trips that might involve swinging flies from a gravel bar, wading a gin-clear tributary, or floating miles of river in hopes of hooking a chrome-bright or rainbow-hued fish. — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026 In the 1950s, people were hooking mammoth groupers, marine goliaths that could be six feet in length. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 As the arrows on the chart indicate, the red line (sellers) is hooking down and the green line (buyers) is hooking up. — Nishant Pant, CNBC, 7 July 2026 Still, there are challenges ahead, especially relating to the bureaucratic obstacles of building large energy projects and hooking them up to the grid. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 June 2026 An example of the previously undisclosed debauchery includes a pair female twins allegedly hooking themselves up to a car battery for $10,000. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 23 June 2026 After referees called Wembanyama on a foul on Karl-Anthony Towns, a review determined that Towns had been the one to commit a foul, an offensive foul, by hooking Wembanyama with his arm. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 June 2026 However, the episode ends with a fisherman hooking an unknown big catch in the very lake where the billionaire's body lies. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026 In the video, Jessie, who is wearing a blue bikini, puts one foot on her husband's thigh and the other on his shoulder, hooking it around his neck, and stands up steadily while flashing her arm muscles at the camera. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooking
  1. bending
  2. connecting
  3. stealing
  4. grabbing
  5. curving
  6. arching
  7. integrating
  8. swiping
Verb
  • The source material is one of the most influential Japanese comics of all time, a trailblazing, gender-bending story of heroism and sacrifice.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends teaching children to pick up and carry backpacks safely, including bending at the knees rather than the waist when lifting heavier bags to avoid strain.
    — Cheyanne Mumphrey, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of bending
Verb
  • In 2019, inspections were ordered for some Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900 after some planes were found to have cracks in the component connecting the plane’s fuselage to the wings.
    — Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Engineers fill the primary cooling loop, including the reactor pressure vessel, pressurizer, and connecting pipes, with ultra-pure demineralized water.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of connecting
Verb
  • On a 3-2 count to Carson Benge, Bichette was caught stealing.
    — CBS New York Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Just how easy such a crime is to commit came to light a year ago when a former Michigan football staffer was arrested and accused of stealing more than 3,000 images and videos of athletes.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stealing
Verb
  • The popular set tends to sell quickly, so consider grabbing one while fall-favorite shades like dusty olive, terracotta, and mauve are still in stock.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Sophie Cunningham is grabbing the attention of women's advocacy groups.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • Similar to other colubrids, this species possesses a Duvernoy’s gland—a venom gland located behind the eyes and connected by a tube to grooved, backward-curving teeth at the back of the upper jaw.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Mary’s body echoes the shape of the frame, curving around Jesus, her gaze following his.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of curving
Verb
  • The combination of a moonless sky and the Milky Way arching overhead could make this the standout night for skywatching all year.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The name comes from the footlong, fluffy white flower clusters at the ends of arching stems.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
Definition of arching
Verb
  • However, du Plessis identifies the crucial challenge of expanding beyond the South Asian diaspora, advocating for widespread visibility in American culture and integrating cricket into schools to foster new fans and local talent.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In recent years and as online culture changed, Hilton toned down his public attacks and appeared to embrace fatherhood and adopt a kinder public persona, even integrating more family-friendly content on his site.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of integrating
Verb
  • People were swiping and navigating with their forefinger and their thumb.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • From swiping your glass shower door to running a towel around your sink after washing the dishes, a short clean can prevent grime build-up and keep your surfaces spotless.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of swiping

Browse Nearby Words

hookers
hooking
hooking up
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Cite this Entry

“Hooking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooking. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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