poked; poking
1
2
a
: to cause to project
poked her head out of the window
b
: to make (one's way) by poking
poked his way through the ruins
c
: to interpose or interject in a meddlesome manner
asked him not to poke his nose into other people's business
1
a
: to make a prodding, jabbing, or thrusting movement especially repeatedly
b
: to strike out at something
2
3
: to move or act slowly or aimlessly
just poked around and didn't accomplish much
4
: to become stuck out or forward : protrude
variants
or less commonly poké
: a Hawaiian salad made typically from cubed pieces of raw seafood (such as tuna) marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil and mixed with onions or other ingredients
While Poke Hut will serve burritos, its specialty is poke bowls. Bases include sushi rice or greens, and from there customers choose a protein like raw or marinated tuna or salmon.—
Andy Brownfield
Andy BrownfieldExamples of poke in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the old warning against buying a pig in a poke
Verb
I accidentally poked my finger right through the old fabric.
Throwing pencils is not allowed because someone's eye could get poked out.
Noun (2)
please stop giving the cat pokes while it's trying to sleep
you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose
the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2025
A lot of my jail pick-n-pokes were like self-harm.
—Renea Baek Goddard, Them, 21 Feb. 2025
Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Others, of course, love the show's ability to poke fun at the cultural and political zeitgeist of the moment.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poke
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Noun
Eco-friendly boutique shops, trendy coffee spots, and cafes selling poke bowls have also popped up throughout the sleepy coastal town.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2025
A lot of my jail pick-n-pokes were like self-harm.
—Renea Baek Goddard, Them, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
The success of Deadpool & Wolverine was a bright spot in 2024, but that movie soared to success in part by poking fun at Marvel's failings.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Others, of course, love the show's ability to poke fun at the cultural and political zeitgeist of the moment.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poke
Cite this Entry
“Poke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poke. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poke
1 of 3 noun
chiefly Southern & Midland
poke
2 of 3 verb
poked; poking
1
c
: to produce by piercing, stabbing, or jabbing
poke a hole
2
: to stick out or cause to stick out
poked her head out the window
3
: to be nosy especially about things that do not concern one
4
: to search over or through usually without purpose : rummage
poking around in the attic
5
: to move slowly or lazily
they were just poking along home
poke
3 of 3 noun
: a quick thrust : jab
Etymology
Noun
Middle English poke "bag, sack," from an early French dialect word poke (same meaning)
Verb
Middle English poken "to jab, prod"
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