flicking

verb

present participle of flick
as in darting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements the horse's tail flicked in restless irritation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flicking His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 France trailed 4-0 before Mbappé sparked a comeback attempt, flicking the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute before adding a second with a left-footed finish from about 14 yards in the 66th. — Mark Hodge, NBC news, 20 July 2026 The action of continuously flicking a typical mouse wheel up and down can be slow and tedious as well difficult to control, even with infinite scroll wheels. — Shirl Leigh july 12, New Atlas, 12 July 2026 By flicking their tongues, snakes can detect the scent trails left by potential prey, such as rodents or birds, and accurately track and capture them even in the dark or in complex environments. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026 The Argentine legend unlocked the Cape Verde defense in the 29th minute, controlling a long diagonal pass with one touch in the box and promptly flicking it over the head of a charging Vozinha. — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 Mayele put Congo ahead 10 minutes later when flicking past Nematov at the near post and was mobbed by teammates and even substitutes, who raced off the bench and across the field to join in the wild celebrations. — CBS News, 28 June 2026 No more wrist-flicking just to wake up your wearable. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026 Bob said, flicking out a jig-type blue fly. — Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flicking
  1. darting
  2. flitting
  3. fluttering
  4. dancing
Verb
  • The site points out that dogs sticking their head or paws out the window could lead to them darting out or getting injured, and the brand says pets should be restricted to the backseat.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026
  • Photos shared by the city on social media show the presence of law enforcement among the crowd, including a moment of what appears to be people darting from a firework going off near 23rd Street.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of darting
Verb
  • An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026
  • Within moments, someone pointed out a starling flitting across the hazy sky.
    — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of flitting
Verb
  • Both are excellent as women emerging from a pupa of damage and tentatively fluttering their wings.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 26 June 2026
Definition of fluttering
Verb
  • Of course, the classic sing-along method gets kids singing and dancing at home—plus repeating the lyrics on their own might help kids remember numbers, letters, and colors even better.
    — Parents, Parents, 23 July 2026
  • Robot maker Unitree, known for the dancing humanoid robots that have become a fixture of Chinese state television broadcasts, is also pursuing a Shanghai listing.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of dancing

Browse Nearby Words

flickery
flicking
flicking (off)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flicking. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flicking

Nglish: Translation of flicking for Spanish Speakers

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