kicker

noun

Definition of kickernext
1
as in surprise

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2
as in quibbler

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Dissimilar Words

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 kicker After replacing Joshua Karty, Harrison Mevis established himself as a reliable and clutch kicker in the second half of the season and the playoffs. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 Feely was the Jets’ starting place kicker — responsible for field goals, extra point kicks and kickoffs — in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 Jay Feely, once a kicker for the New York Jets, will compete against physician Amish Shah in a high-profile House race in Arizona. — Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 23 July 2026 Beyond the operational improvements Danaher is famous for, there is a classic David-versus-Goliath story waiting in the wings that could hand Danaher and investors a nice kicker. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for kicker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicker
  1. surprise
  2. nitpicker
  3. kick
  4. crock
  5. revelation
  6. objector
  7. disclosure
  8. pessimist
Noun
  • The designers have only one day to create this look — no surprise there.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
  • Nationwide, Democratic lawmakers have been making surprise visits to ICE detention facilities after a federal judge ruled in March that the Department of Homeland Security cannot bar members of Congress from conducting unannounced inspections.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of surprise
Noun
  • Alas, nitpickers can point to some moves in which Atlanta went backward.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • Maybe that’s why, compared with some other kinds of nitpickers, pop critics can seem especially extraneous.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Definition of nitpicker
Noun
  • The slow pace continued for a while, but eventually, Punk took down Rhodes with a leaping heel kick and tweaked his knee.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The kick was awarded when Toronto (3-7-8) defender Richie Laryea picked up a yellow card for a foul on Agustín Ojeda.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of kick
Noun
  • In this rustic kitchen, the visual weight of the two breadboards balances the strong visual presence of the white crock.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2026
  • This crock has plenty of room to keep every daily utensil conveniently on the counter, and it’s finished with a cork mat on the bottom to stay steady and protect your counters.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
Definition of crock
Noun
  • But that conviction was dismissed after the revelation that a juror in the trial had not disclosed a domestic violence incident in her own background in order to win a seat on the panel, The Denver Post reports.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Now in the spotlight, the case has stoked outrage and concern in China especially after a tightening of rules in the wake of another scandal – the revelation in 2018 that babies had been born from embryos gene-edited by Chinese scientist He Jiankui.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of revelation
Noun
  • The process involves a series of hearings in which election judges review signatures one-by-one, and typically requires the objector and the candidate to hire an attorney.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
  • After a two-year National Service stint as a hospital orderly (thanks to his own conscientious-objector status), Hockney landed at the Royal College of Art, in London, in the fall of 1959.
    — Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Definition of objector
Noun
  • The 2012 disclosure law known as the STOCK Act required members to report any trades made by them or their brokers within 30 days.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
  • In its own disclosure about the Hugging Face incident, however, OpenAI suggested some action had been taken internally.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of disclosure
Noun
  • Though the pessimists should be considered carefully, the latest Nobel laureates—awarded their prizes for their on work long-term growth—are optimistic.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • But pessimists worry that companies are deferring the cost of massive spending, while front-loading the benefits.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 July 2026
Definition of pessimist

Browse Nearby Words

kicked upstairs
kicker
kickers
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Cite this Entry

“Kicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicker. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on kicker

Nglish: Translation of kicker for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kicker

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