Pluck: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when removing something quickly or with a small, precise action, often related to pulling something off or out from its source. It can also imply a certain amount of care or delicacy.

• She plucked a feather from the ground
• He plucked the strings of the guitar

Used primarily in agricultural contexts when you take produce or resources that have been grown, often during a specific season. It implies a cycle of growth and collection.

• The farmers harvest the wheat in the fall
• We harvested apples from the orchard

Used when choosing or selecting something carefully or when removing something one by one, such as fruits or flowers. It can have a leisurely or meticulous connotation.

• She picked strawberries from the bush
• He picked the best option available

Used when bringing things together from different places, and can imply a more informal or casual act of bringing people or items together. It can also imply less precision compared to 'collect'.

• They gathered wildflowers from the field
• We will gather around the campfire in the evening

Used when gathering items from various places into one place, often implying a systematic or organized approach. This can refer to physical objects, data, information, etc.

• She collects stamps from around the world
• They collected data for their research project

Use this when removing something quickly and carefully, especially when it is small or delicate. Often used with feathers or small items.

• She plucked a flower from the garden
• He plucked a gray hair from his head

A general term for applying force to move something towards oneself or in a particular direction, often used in everyday situations.

• He pulled the door open
• She pulled the rope to bring the boat towards the dock

This is used when pulling something suddenly and with a lot of force. It often has a negative connotation due to the abruptness and potential for causing damage.

• He yanked the cable out of the socket
• She yanked the door open

Use this when you are pulling something with effort and often in short, sharp pulls. Usually implies difficulty or resistance.

• She tugged at her sleeve nervously
• The dog tugged on the leash

This is appropriate when removing something that is embedded or needs to be taken out carefully, often used in scientific or formal contexts.

• The dentist extracted the tooth
• The scientist extracted DNA from the sample