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
Synonyms
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 on the Web
Some people might experience seizures, loss of limb function, tics, facial spasms, difficulties with speech, and loss of hearing and vision.
—
Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2023
Along comes Patty Amore (Katherine Heigl), a woman who has her own share of problems, which include various tics and nervous habits.
—Nick Clement, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Following the chimes of church bells, a slippery breakbeat cuts itself off only to layer back atop it, like a drum kit interrupting itself mid-rant with another, more frenzied speech rife with nervous tics.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2023
Snapping into third person is a kind of Ernaux tic.
—Tobi Haslett, Harper's Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Biden has developed a series of verbal tics that tend to either precede or follow some of his more flagrant mendacities.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 15 Sep. 2023
And according to The Wall Street Journal, doctors in multiple countries are reporting a rise in teen girls developing severe physical tics, and that anxiety, depression, and TikTok could be contributing factors.
—Maressa Brown, Parents, 15 Sep. 2023
In what has become a sort of structural tic among streaming series, the penultimate episode takes a step backward (or in this case, sideways and backward).
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Despite the tic, the botnet posted many convincing messages promoting cryptocurrency sites.
—Will Knight, WIRED, 21 Aug. 2023
See More
Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2023
Along comes Patty Amore (Katherine Heigl), a woman who has her own share of problems, which include various tics and nervous habits.
—Nick Clement, Variety, 1 Nov. 2023
Following the chimes of church bells, a slippery breakbeat cuts itself off only to layer back atop it, like a drum kit interrupting itself mid-rant with another, more frenzied speech rife with nervous tics.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2023
Snapping into third person is a kind of Ernaux tic.
—Tobi Haslett, Harper's Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Biden has developed a series of verbal tics that tend to either precede or follow some of his more flagrant mendacities.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 15 Sep. 2023
And according to The Wall Street Journal, doctors in multiple countries are reporting a rise in teen girls developing severe physical tics, and that anxiety, depression, and TikTok could be contributing factors.
—Maressa Brown, Parents, 15 Sep. 2023
In what has become a sort of structural tic among streaming series, the penultimate episode takes a step backward (or in this case, sideways and backward).
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
Despite the tic, the botnet posted many convincing messages promoting cryptocurrency sites.
—Will Knight, WIRED, 21 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tic.' 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
French
First Known Use
circa 1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing tic
Dictionary Entries Near tic
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
tic
noun1
: a regularly repeated twitching movement of a particular muscle and especially one of the face
2
: a particular form of behavior or speech that is often repeated
"you know" is a verbal tic
More from Merriam-Webster on tic
Nglish: Translation of tic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tic
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