suck

1 of 2

verb

sucked; sucking; sucks

transitive verb

1
a
: to draw (something, such as liquid) into the mouth through a suction force produced by movements of the lips and tongue
sucked milk from his mother's breast
b
: to draw something from or consume by such movements
suck an orange
suck a lollipop
c
: to apply the mouth to in order to or as if to suck out a liquid
sucked his burned finger
2
a
: to draw by or as if by suction
when a receding wave sucks the sand from under your feetKenneth Brower
inadvertently sucked into the … intrigueMartin Levin
b
: to take in and consume by or as if by suction
a vacuum cleaner sucking up dirt
suck up a few beers
opponents say that malls suck the life out of downtown areasMichael Knight

intransitive verb

1
: to draw something in by or as if by exerting a suction force
especially : to draw milk from a breast or udder with the mouth
2
: to make a sound or motion associated with or caused by suction
his pipe sucked wetly
flanks sucked in and out, the long nose resting on his pawsVirginia Woolf
3
: to act in an obsequious manner
when they want votes … the candidates come sucking aroundW. G. Hardy
usually used with up
sucked up to the boss
4
slang, sometimes vulgar : to be objectionable or inadequate
our lifestyle sucksPlayboy
people who went said it suckedH. S. Thompson

suck

2 of 2

noun

1
: a sucking movement or force
2
: the act of sucking
Phrases
suck it up
: to make the effort required to do or deal with something difficult or unpleasant

Example Sentences

Verb sucking milk through a straw a toddler sucking his thumb She just sucked her teeth and stared. She sucked on an orange slice. I sucked a cough drop. The tide almost sucked us out to sea. The boat was sucked under the water in the storm. These plants suck moisture from the soil. The fan sucks smoke from the air. a vacuum cleaner that sucks up water as well as dirt Noun He took a suck on his pipe. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That’s the fun thing for me, is there’s no reason the next one couldn’t suck back in and be a chamber piece again. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Despite its appearance, the hummingbird’s tongue doesn't suck up nectar like a drinking straw. National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023 Pandora won’t entirely suck up the oxygen in theaters. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Jan. 2023 Looking to give socks that don’t suck this holiday season? Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022 Carolyn Forté, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Appliances & Cleaning Products Lab, created a printable checklist to make sure keeping the house neat doesn't suck up endless hours of time on weekends anymore. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 22 Nov. 2022 And the downpours keep coming, a couple of them a year now where there used to be none, adding moisture that the pumps cannot suck away. Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Nov. 2022 And the downpours keep coming, a couple of them a year now where there used to be none, adding moisture that the pumps cannot suck away. Vivian Yee, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2022 Ready to kick off spooky season with a vampire series that doesn't suck? Brendan Morrow, The Week, 30 Sep. 2022
Noun
Here’s the thing: losing sucks. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 14 Mar. 2023 Gifts for nerds sort of suck. Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 11 Nov. 2022 Format and editing suck. Andy Meek, BGR, 5 July 2022 And the internet is designed to be used for both high-res immersion and in lower-resolution suck-from-a-straw toe-dipping. John Koetsier, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 The threat didn’t strike me as mortal so much as a colossal time-suck. Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2021 To be sure, the cryptocurrency is an energy suck, consuming more electricity than the entire annual energy consumption of the Netherlands, according to Cambridge University researchers. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2021 Bundle up, embrace the chilly suck! Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 17 Sep. 2020 At least one of the gang here asserts that all cars from the 1980s suck. John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 4 Mar. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suck.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English suken, from Old English sūcan; akin to Old High German sūgan to suck, Latin sugere

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suck was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near suck

Cite this Entry

“Suck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suck. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

Kids Definition

suck

1 of 2 verb
1
a
: to draw in liquid and especially mother's milk with the mouth
b
: to draw liquid from by action of the mouth
suck an orange
also : to draw something from or consume by such action
suck a candy
c
: to apply the mouth to in order to or as if to suck out a liquid
sucked my thumb
2
: to take something in or up or remove something from by or as if by suction
plants sucking moisture from the soil
3
: to act in an overly flattering or attentive manner
suck up to the boss

suck

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sucking movement or force
2
: the act of sucking

Medical Definition

suck

transitive verb
1
: to draw (as liquid) into the mouth through a suction force produced by movements of the lips and tongue
sucked milk from her mother's breast
2
: to draw out by suction

intransitive verb

: to draw something in by or as if by exerting a suction force
especially : to draw milk from a breast or udder with the mouth

More from Merriam-Webster on suck

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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