1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the ball a solid lick with the bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in shred
a very small amount
the soup needs just a lick more of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
you haven't done a lick of work all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to hide
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
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2
as in to master
to achieve a victory over
he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of lick
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Coals crackle, flames lick meat, and at the center of the pit stands Tootsie Tomanetz, 91 years old with tree-trunk arms and the nimble grace of a woman half her age.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Affected animals transfer rabies by biting, licking or scratching other animals and humans.
—
Laura Horne,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Noun
The footage, shared to social media, features Hagen's Shaggy picking up Scooby and getting a few licks on his face.
—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Coals crackle, flames lick meat, and at the center of the pit stands Tootsie Tomanetz, 91 years old with tree-trunk arms and the nimble grace of a woman half her age.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Verb
Chalk it up to a bad match, and lick your wounds.
—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Affected animals transfer rabies by biting, licking or scratching other animals and humans.
—
Laura Horne,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lick
Noun
-
Emotionally, militarily, even symbolically, this is a devastating blow to the Black Queen and her cause.
-
When Lucerys refuses, Aemond chases Lucerys on his dragon, seemingly meaning to injure him rather than kill him, but his dragon, Vhagar, delivers a fatal blow to Rhaenyra’s son.
Noun
-
Trump’s appreciation for and emulation of the histrionics of that sport have been much discussed over the years—recall how the late Hulk Hogan ripped his shirt to shreds at the 2024 Republican National Convention to reveal a TRUMP VANCE T-shirt underneath.
-
The industry has been keeping a close eye on what Koosha and his producer Tom Rogers have been doing — namely, conjuring a movie out of thin air without a single shred of an actor, location, crew member or camera.
Noun
-
And if that is to be the case, most Chicagoans do not give a damn whether the team goes to Arlington Heights or Hammond.
-
In a world of drivers mostly ruled by their corporate sponsors, Busch was an otherworldly talent who simply did not give a damn.
Verb
-
In fact, some are doing little to hide their skepticism – and, in some cases, outright frustration – with the memorandum of understanding, which White House officials hope to spin into a more lasting peace agreement and nuclear accord.
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The script hides serious moral and ethical conversations about fame, political violence, and powerful institutions amongst jokes about hashbrowns.
Verb
-
For resistance training, that may mean starting with lighter weights and mastering technique before increasing load.
-
Costco has mastered this equation for years.
Noun
-
Deidre Hall delivered her most shocking slap yet on live TV on June 19.
-
Only a few minutes earlier, Abulaila endured an inadvertent slap to his throat by Arnautovic on a pass into the box.
Noun
-
Young guests can make a splash at the 16,000-square-foot waterpark or one of the seven freshwater pools.
-
The excitement of that first game behind them, Advocaat and his players are looking to make more than just a splash in the remainder of their first tournament.
Noun
-
His adoration, here as in all things natural, is infectious, although the birds themselves care not a whit for him, and isn’t that part of the wonder, the fun?
-
An unconventional structure or new approach bothers them not a whit.
Cite this Entry
“Lick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lick. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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