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Pry (Verb)

Meaning¹

Make an uninvited or presumptuous inquiry; "They pried the information out of him".

Classification

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.

Examples

She tried to pry the family secret out of her tight-lipped grandmother.
The persistent journalist will pry the truth out of the politician eventually.
He pried into his colleague's personal life, which made her uncomfortable.
The detectives were able to pry the information they needed from the reluctant witness.
His nosy neighbor pried out the reason behind his sudden move to a new apartment.

Meaning²

To move or force, especially in an effort to get something open; "The burglar jimmied the lock"; "Raccoons managed to pry the lid off the garbage pail".

Classification

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.

Examples

With great effort, she managed to pry the heavy lid off the old chest.
He tried to pry the tightly stuck pieces of wood apart to get a better look.
Raccoons learned how to pry open garbage cans and now they do it every night.
The firefighters had to pry the trapped passengers free from the wreckage.
Her niece and nephew loved to pry pebbles out of the ground and collect them in their pockets.

Synonyms

Hypernyms

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Related Words

Pry (noun)

Meaning³

Search or inquire in a meddlesome way; "This guy is always nosing around the office".

Classification

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.

Examples

My neighbor always seems to pry into everyone's business, asking intrusive questions about their personal lives.
She pried into my past, trying to uncover secrets I'd rather keep hidden.
He tends to pry when you're with friends, asking awkward questions that make you squirm.
Politicians often pry into each other's financial records, searching for dirt to use as ammunition.
I wish she wouldn't pry, it's really none of her business what I do on the weekends.