ticking

1 of 3

noun (1)

tick·​ing ˈti-kiŋ 

: a strong linen or cotton fabric used in upholstering and as a covering for a mattress or pillow

ticking

2 of 3

noun (2)

: ticked marking on a bird or mammal or on individual hairs

ticking

3 of 3

present participle of tick entry 2

Examples of ticking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The judges face a ticking clock as local election clerks prepare to finalize ballots for the August primaries by May 26 and decisions in the three cases are likely to come quickly. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 10 May 2026

What if Nikita Kucherov made better puck touches with the clock ticking on the season? —Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 6 May 2026

Neighbors said the drunken Queens man who broke into his estranged wife’s home and set off a gas explosion seemed like anything but a ticking time bomb. —Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026

With the clock ticking before hitting the race with the all-new Cadillac team, Checo was spotted dining out Wednesday night with Related Group chair Jorge Pérez at Brickell Key’s newest hot spot, The Mexican. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

tick entry 4

Noun (2)

tick entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1649, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ticking

• clicking
• flicking
• kicking
• nicking
• picking
• pricking
• sticking
• tricking
• wicking
• picnicking
• politicking

Kids Definition

ticking

noun

tick·​ing

ˈtik-iŋ

: a strong fabric used especially as a covering for mattresses and pillows