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
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
Jones explained that Aramayo would always seek permission from those who had uttered the tic.
—
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
His verbal tics, over-the-top gestures, and knack for creating indelible moments are endearing to the public in a way that professional Democrats who devote their work lives to covering and fighting him could never understand.
—Isaac Schorr, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
These tics quickly became running jokes, which made class fun: flexing their powers of discernment proved to be a form of entertainment.
—Piers Gelly
july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Kennedy mentioned diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, seizure disorders, ADHD, speech delay, language delay, tics, Tourette syndrome, narcolepsy, peanut allergies and eczema.
—Patricia Callahan, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
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Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
His verbal tics, over-the-top gestures, and knack for creating indelible moments are endearing to the public in a way that professional Democrats who devote their work lives to covering and fighting him could never understand.
—Isaac Schorr, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
These tics quickly became running jokes, which made class fun: flexing their powers of discernment proved to be a form of entertainment.
—Piers Gelly
july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Kennedy mentioned diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, seizure disorders, ADHD, speech delay, language delay, tics, Tourette syndrome, narcolepsy, peanut allergies and eczema.
—Patricia Callahan, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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