flick

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a light sharp jerky stroke or movement
a flick of the wrist
2
: a sound produced by a flick
3

flick

2 of 3

verb

flicked; flicking; flicks

transitive verb

1
a
: to move or propel with a light quick movement
flicked her hair back over her shoulder
b
: to activate, deactivate, or change by or as if by flicking a switch
flick off the radio
2
a
: to strike lightly with a quick sharp motion
flicked the horse with a whip
b
: to remove with light blows
flicked an ash off her sleeve

intransitive verb

1
: to go or pass quickly or abruptly
flicking through some papers
2
: to direct flicks at something
flicked at the spot with his finger

flick

3 of 3

noun (2)

informal
: movie

Examples of flick in a Sentence

Verb The snake flicked its tongue in and out. a cow flicking its tail back and forth She flicked her hair back over her shoulder. The snake's tongue flicked in and out. She flicked an ash into the ashtray. He flicked his cigarette butt out the window. The boys were flicking each other with towels. Noun (2) we could catch a flick together next weekend
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.
Noun
His celebration was subtle yet suave, a drop of his bat with a flick of his wrist. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025 On the industry side, Focus closed the biggest deal, with our colleague Anthony D’Alessandro reporting the studio was forking out upwards of $15M on the horror flick Obsession from YouTuber Curry Barker. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
Without appearing to look, Rogers flicked the ball round the corner, straight into the path of Madueke running in behind, cutting inwards from the right. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025 Aniston’s new haircut incorporates more length and less volume, features a sleek root base, and focuses on the feathery, flicked ends of the original cut. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for flick

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

imitative

Noun (2)

short for flicker entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1629, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flick was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flick. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

flick

1 of 2 noun
1
: a light sharp jerky stroke or movement
2
: a sound produced by a flick
3

flick

2 of 2 verb
1
: to strike lightly with a quick sharp motion
flicked a speck off the table
2

More from Merriam-Webster on flick

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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