sucked; sucking; sucks
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 feet—
Kenneth Brower
Kenneth Browerinadvertently sucked into the … intrigue—Martin Levin
Martin 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 areas—Michael Knight
Michael Knight1
: 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 paws—Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf3
: to act in an obsequious manner
when they want votes … the candidates come sucking around—W. G. Hardy
—usually used with upW. G. Hardysucked up to the boss
4
slang, sometimes vulgar
: to be objectionable or inadequate
our lifestyle sucks—Playboy
Playboypeople who went said it sucked—H. S. Thompson
H. S. ThompsonExamples of suck in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Julia Ries, SELF, 23 June 2025
My take on this situation is that multiple things can be true at once: Jen seems to be playing both sides and Zac seems to kind of suck.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for suck
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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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
Noun
All those changes can be a total energy suck—especially if your symptoms push you to the brink every month.
—Julia Ries, SELF, 23 June 2025
My take on this situation is that multiple things can be true at once: Jen seems to be playing both sides and Zac seems to kind of suck.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for suck
Cite this Entry
“Suck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suck. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
suck
1 of 2 verb1
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 noun1
: a sucking movement or force
2
: the act of sucking
Medical Definition
suck
transitive verb1
: 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
: 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
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