plying

VERB

use, work at

Synonyms

STRONG

dispense employ exercise exert follow function handle maneuver manipulate practice pursue swing throw utilize wield

WEAK

carry on put out

Antonyms

STRONG

disregard ignore leave alone misuse neglect receive shun stop

WEAK

be lazy idle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He is in many ways the perfect representative of the globe-trotting Sharks, having been born nearly 2,000 miles from Cape Verde in Portugal and plying his trade professionally for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 27, 2026

Owners of several vehicles plying the streets rejoiced with symbolic honks and screams, most of them either waving the flag or hanging samples by their car windows.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026

Over 1,200 companies were taking part in the expo, according to organisers, plying their wares to the tens of thousands of attendees there for a startling variety of motives.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Ships plying the Black Sea face Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian ports, endangering the world’s grain supply.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

To our right the choppy waters of the Artibonite rushed away, and to our left were a few small vessels plying the placid blue waters.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French