PLYING Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

plying 1 of 2

verb (1)

present participle of ply

as in exerting

to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively she plied all of her charm and intelligence to convince everyone to volunteer as tutors

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plying

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of ply

as in weaving

to cause to twine about one another two single yarns were plied together to get the fabric that smooth, firm feel

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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 plying

Verb

Now, Iran said a pair of oil tankers hit naval mines while plying the Strait of Hormuz. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 While Ferran headed to Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, veteran Lewandowski is now plying his trade in the MLS with the Chicago Fire. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Perhaps the next target for cellphone usage should be in supermarkets where some shoppers unsuccessfully try to multitask while plying grocery aisles. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Like the other pros plying this particular trade, Cooper was capable of evoking distressing scenes with an untroubled matter-of-factness. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 In 2014, Andrew Tate began his pornographic webcamming empire, recruiting women by dating and plying them with gifts. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026 Hunte himself is a big draw; he's often reclined on the balcony of his wooden plantation house, plying guests with his own brand of rum—not for the faint of heart. — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026 The 6-foot-2 goalkeeper has been plying his craft professionally for nearly two decades, having bounced around to nine different club teams in the process. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026 These challenges are why solar sails aren't yet plying the vastness of space. — Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 31 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plying

Verb

With broader crypto legislation stalling in Congress, regulators are exerting their existing powers to address individual parts of the market, said Jeff Ko, chief analyst at blockchain infrastructure service provider ViaBTC.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Trump successfully exerting political control over the Fed would be extremely bad news for just about everyone.

— Cameron Peters, Vox, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of exerting

Verb

By weaving lasercomm links across space, airborne and terrestrial nodes alongside existing fiber and RF, leaders create self-healing mesh networks that guarantee mission-critical throughput even when primary links are severed or jammed.

— Rohit Jha, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Born and raised in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles, Duplan grew up around music culture, weaving it into his own narrative.

— William Jones, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaving

Verb

And with the National Cancer Institute preparing a major randomized trial of multicancer screening tests using cancer death as the endpoint, the agency should also consider whether approving Grail’s test will impede that work.

— H. Gilbert Welch, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
The short treatment menu includes facials and massages, using Tribe517 products.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of using

Verb

The woman denied the allegations, and Ross hit her in the chest several times, the report says, and choked her, restricting her breathing by twisting the collar of her hoodie.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
For much of the 1990s and 2000s, Guatemala had been twisting its way toward democracy, but corruption networks and drug traffickers had insinuated themselves into the country’s institutions.

— Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of twisting

Verb

The team is currently applying this approach to devices installed across wall panels or doors to harvest ambient temperature differences.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
British police acknowledged applying for the warrants under the wrong statutory provision, the judge said while stipulating that the misconduct investigation against the king's brother could continue.

— Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of applying

Verb

Word spread quickly, and soon a throng of smartphone-wielding citizens had surrounded the immigration enforcement van, which couldn’t move because one enterprising, early-arriving activist had slid underneath it.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Hansen may be the star of the show, but Andie pulls the strings, wielding her authority with an ever-present smack of chewing gum.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of wielding

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ply

plying

plying (with)

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“Plying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plying. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of plying

verb (1)

verb (2)

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