PLY Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

ply 1 of 3

noun

Definition of ply

as in bias

an attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting especially without considering any other possibilities since taking a ply to French burgundies, he's hardly even looked at anything else in the wine store

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ply

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈplī

as in to exert

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

ply

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to weave

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 ply

Noun

By then, standard-issue electric typewriters and six-ply carbon paper had been replaced by far less visually interesting computers. — Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 To make this a game-changer, Mitsubishi employed a craftsman hand-roll process using full-length, high-strength carbon fiber plies in internal layers, to create a super smooth bend profile for the best-possible feedback and feel. — Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026

Verb

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 In the Netherlands and neighboring Germany cargo ships that ply the Rhine and its offshoots have been forced to carry significantly less freight or risk running aground in shallow navigation channels. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ply

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ply

Noun

Admitting his bias, Simmons, who watched another Trojan, Makai Lemon, get selected in the first round, believed Lane was talented enough to go as early as the late first round.

— Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
For healthcare providers, this is a lesson on potential sources of bias, Tang said.

— Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of bias

Verb

Heat cramps typically occur after exerting yourself in the heat and sweating a lot.

— Dale Denwalt, Oklahoman, 29 Aug. 2026
According to the sheriff's office, Awais used his property-management companies and his relationships with association board members to exert control over the organizations' operations and finances.

— Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of exert

Verb

After years of analysis, Caltrans has decided to weave strong micropiles into the 499 aging piles that now support the bridge’s piers, said Allan Kosup, chief deputy director of Caltrans District 11 in San Diego and Imperial counties.

— David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
Kamnop is a quest for healing and justice, where dreams become reality, weaving together memory, sorrow and joy.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of weave

Noun

Career Fit Is a Business Issue There is a persistent tendency in the legal profession to interpret difficulty in a role as a personal shortcoming.

— Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
The National Association of Theatre Owners changed its name last year to Cinema United, which is more aspirational than descriptive, as Aron — a board member — has a tendency to go his own way.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of tendency

Verb

Researchers have developed a new vision algorithm that lets humanoid robots perceive depth more like humans, using two forward-facing eyes.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Earlier this month, The Financial Times appended a note to a guest column after readers questioned whether it was written using AI.

— Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of use

Noun

Barely out of her teens, the Black and Anishinaabe sculptor had already weathered racial prejudice, false accusations and the abrupt end of her education at Oberlin College.

— Andrew Alexander, AJC.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Factors affecting the intensity of racial profiling The forcefulness of police prejudice against minority groups depends on historical and social circumstances.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of prejudice

Verb

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning that applies to more than 1 million people in San Diego County, mostly across inland valleys, foothills and mountains where high temperatures will approach or exceed 95 to 114 degrees.

— Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
The study found the models understood concepts such as the Kelly criterion and Merton share in theory but struggled to apply appropriate risk management when making actual simulated trading decisions.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of apply

Verb

Second, the countries involved in imbalanced trade can take action to push adjustment costs onto others, but their success depends largely on economic power and their ability to wield it.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
The nearly two-minute spot depicts a club-wielding bureaucrat chasing and tripping a child on a bike and another stealing a boy’s scooter.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of wield

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plutonian

ply

plying

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Cite this Entry

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“Ply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ply. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ply

noun

verb (1)

verb (2)

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