neck

noun

\ ˈnek

Definition of neck

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a(1) : the part of an animal that connects the head with the body

(2) : the siphon of a bivalve mollusk (such as a clam)

b : the part of a garment that covers or is next to the neck

2 : a relatively narrow part suggestive of a neck: such as

a(1) : the constricted end of a bottle

(2) : the slender proximal end of a fruit

b : cervix sense 2

c : the part of a stringed musical instrument extending from the body and supporting the fingerboard and strings

d : a narrow stretch of land

e : strait sense 1b

f : the part of a tooth between the crown and the root — see tooth illustration

g : a column of solidified magma of a volcanic pipe or laccolith

3 : a narrow margin won by a neck

4 : region, part my neck of the woods

neck

verb

necked; necking; necks

Definition of neck (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to kiss and caress amorously

2 : to reduce in diameter

intransitive verb

1 : to engage in amorous kissing and caressing

2 : to become constricted : narrow

Other Words from neck Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about neck

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Examples of neck in a Sentence

Noun

She craned her neck to see what was going on. A giraffe is an animal with a very long neck. He broke his neck in the accident. He likes T-shirts with round necks. He grabbed the neck of the bottle.

Verb

The young lovers necked on the park bench. They were necking in the corner of the room.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Your neck should be neutral (in line with your spine) and not straining upward or downward. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "18 Lunge Variations That Will Work Your Butt From Every Angle," 5 Apr. 2019 Around my neck is my poesy ring 'adventure' necklace, with a locket holding my secret messages. — Will Kahn, Town & Country, "How to Layer Necklaces," 8 Mar. 2019 Graves’ disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease, meaning the antibodies of the immune systems affect the function of the thyroid, a gland located in your neck. — Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, "Wendy Williams to Spend a "Significant Time" Hospitalized Due to Graves' Disease," 18 Jan. 2019 Its headless neck is the perfect place to rest your weary head after a long day of work. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Headless ergonomic body pillows: comforting or totally creepy?," 11 Oct. 2018 Choose a Targeted Peel for Hyperpigmentation A series of in-office peels can dramatically improve the appearance of the face, hands, or neck, taking off dead cells to reveal brighter skin. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "Spring-Clean Your Skin! 4 Expert-Approved Ways to Purge Winter From Every Last Pore," 25 Mar. 2019 Other patients may opt for Botox injections into the vocal cord (through the neck), which weakens the muscles and prevents them from spasming so tightly. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Selma Blair Reveals Her MS Led to Spasmodic Dysphonia," 27 Feb. 2019 Think Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, or Brontosaurus, and you probably picture long necks, long tails, small heads, and four enormous weight-bearing legs. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "Newly Discovered Dinos Had Badass Bone Mohawks," 7 Feb. 2019 Her silver dress was a vintage choice from the Spring/Summer 1999 Versace collection, and made a statement thanks to the delicate halter neck, dramatic backless shape and dipped hemline. — Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, "Blake Lively's Silver Chainmail Dress and Huge Curls are Your Ultimate Holiday Party Inspiration," 3 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Think of a sauropod, and a species like Brachiosaurus may come to mind: Long-necked, long-tailed, straight-legged with giant bodies and small heads. — Amina Khan, latimes.com, "These long-necked, elephant-sized dinosaurs arose long before Brachiosaurus," 9 July 2018 Her dress, with a flowing train 16-feet long, was pure white, boat-necked, and minimal. — BostonGlobe.com, "After generations of aristocratic weddings, one reflects modern Britain," 19 May 2018 That improvement will help address bottle-necking around the small streets of Gilbert's popular downtown. — Lily Altavena, azcentral, "Parks, roads and more: 7 projects on the horizon for Gilbert taxpayers," 10 May 2018 Long-necked with eyelashes to die for just like her parents, the baby giraffe's umbilical cord was still attached on Tuesday. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee Zoo's latest resident is 6 feet, 1 inch of adorableness," 22 May 2018 In one corner, a business-casual couple were necking in a cozy booth over white wine and small plates of charred swordfish. — Tas Tobey, New York Times, "New Speakeasy Memorializes an Old-School Journalist Haunt," 31 Jan. 2018 There’s the annual molt, during which even the crows are disheveled and pencil-necked. — Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, "Why every writer needs a tree," 13 Sep. 2017 Researchers on Wednesday described fossils of a long-necked, four-legged, meat-eating reptile called Teleocrater rhadinus. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "Secret White House Visits: Now Easier Than Ever!," 14 Apr. 2017 There's a lot of rubber-necking going on because fans on both sides are into what's happening with the programs. — John Canzano, OregonLive.com, "Ducks and Beavers football programs provide summer fireworks," 19 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.