tic

noun \ ˈtik \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: tic in a Sentence

Definition of tic

1 : local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching

2 : a frequent usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech

"you know" is a verbal tic

See tic defined for English-language learners

See tic defined for kids

Examples of tic in a Sentence

The verbal tic “you know” often occurs in her speech.
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics

Recent Examples of tic from the Web

Cousins will likely parade to the free-throw line next season, as defenses give fouls to prevent dunks set up by the Warriors’ tic-tac-toe passing.

— ben golliver, SI.com, "The DeMarcus Cousins Experience Isn’t for Everyone, but Warriors Are More Than Ready," 2 July 2018
There will also be old-fashioned carnival games, including ring toss, knock over the milk jar, bean bag tic-tac-toe, bowling and more.

— emily sorensen, Pomerado News, "Old-Fashioned Fourth of July offers patriotic fun," 29 June 2018
Robert Norman has all the tics of Spock — the tilt of the head, the flat inflection when speaking.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Jokes fly faster than warp factor 9 in 'Star Trek Abduction'," 1 June 2018
That understated poise, coupled with our odd cultural tic of equating everything Hawaiian with easygoing chillness, clouds our appreciation of the meticulous labor and thoughtful innovation behind every dish on the Liholiho menu.

— ali bouzari, SFChronicle.com, "Housemade: The magic of Liholiho Yacht Club," 22 June 2018
The 1960s were also the great age of pop art, with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein bringing the stylistic tics of advertising and comic books to canvases.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Philip Roth, the Mandarin Joker," 23 May 2018
The Lightning took the turnover gift, and Brayden Point completed a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with a tap-in goal to tie the game.

— isabelle khurshudyan, chicagotribune.com, "Home is hardly an advantage as Lightning even series vs. Capitals," 18 May 2018
Brandon Polansky plays David, who’s lucky to have rich parents and fancies himself as suave, hiding behind designer sunglasses and trying to pass off his vocal tics as sneezes.

— kerry lengel, azcentral, "'Keep the Change' is a breakthrough for inclusion of actors with autism," 5 Apr. 2018
Jess Thom has Tourette’s Syndrome, a neurological condition best known for producing verbal and physical tics, or involuntary sounds and movements.

— amy wang | the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "11 arts picks: 'Rigoletto,' 'Much Ado About Nothing,' Touretteshero, more," 3 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of tic

French

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1834

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

tic Synonyms

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

TIC Defined for English Language Learners

tic

noun

Definition of tic for English Language Learners

: a small repeated movement of a muscle especially in the face that cannot be controlled
: a word or phrase that someone frequently says or an action that someone frequently does without intending to