pore

1 of 2

verb

ˈpȯr How to pronounce pore (audio)
pored; poring
Synonyms of pore

intransitive verb

1
: to gaze intently
2
: to read or study attentively
—usually used with over
3
: to reflect or meditate steadily

pore

2 of 2

noun

1
: a minute opening especially in an animal or plant
especially : one by which matter passes through a membrane
2
: a small interstice (as in soil) admitting absorption or passage of liquid
pored
ˈpȯrd How to pronounce pore (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of pore

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pore in a Sentence

Verb the committee will probably pore over the results of the study for a long time before making their decision he pored over the textbook for hours in preparation for the test
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
I‘d seen Los Tigres del Norte in concert, shared a lengthy conversation with Vicente Fernández outside the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, and spent months poring through the songbook of José Alfredo Jiménez. — Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Investors on Tuesday will pore through a slew of corporate earnings reports from companies such as Caterpillar and McDonald's. — Hugh Leask,lee Ying Shan,tobias Burns, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
Whether burrowing through soil or swimming through water, they’re forced to maneuver through narrow gaps in tiny pores, rocks, roots, plants or other obstacles. — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 The device registers skin age and notes pores, dark circles, pigmentation and acne. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pore

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English pouren

Noun

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin porus, from Greek poros passage, pore — more at fare

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pore was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing pore

Rhymes for pore

See All Rhymes for pore

Browse Nearby Words

porcupinish
pore
pore canal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pore. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pore

1 of 2 verb
ˈpō(ə)r How to pronounce pore (audio)
ˈpȯ(ə)r
pored; poring
: to read with great attention : study
pore over a book

pore

2 of 2 noun
: a tiny opening or space (as in the skin or the soil)
pored
ˈpō(ə)rd, 
ˈpȯ(ə)rd
adjective

Medical Definition

pore

noun
ˈpō(ə)r, ˈpȯ(ə)r How to pronounce pore (audio)
: a minute opening especially in an animal or plant
especially : one by which matter passes through a membrane
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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