1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the ball a solid lick with the bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in shred
a very small amount
the soup needs just a lick more of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
you haven't done a lick of work all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to hide
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to master
to achieve a victory over
he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 lick
Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Lines that seem artlessly off-the-cuff on first pass accrue an unexpected weight and purpose the fourth time through; the countrified guitar lick that sounds so chipper at the start of a song is dripping with melancholy by the end.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Affected animals transfer rabies by biting, licking or scratching other animals and humans.
—Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Noun
Coals crackle, flames lick meat, and at the center of the pit stands Tootsie Tomanetz, 91 years old with tree-trunk arms and the nimble grace of a woman half her age.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Lines that seem artlessly off-the-cuff on first pass accrue an unexpected weight and purpose the fourth time through; the countrified guitar lick that sounds so chipper at the start of a song is dripping with melancholy by the end.
—Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
Verb
Chalk it up to a bad match, and lick your wounds.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Affected animals transfer rabies by biting, licking or scratching other animals and humans.
—Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lick
Noun
-
The rookie took a deep breath, settled into his stance and watched as Houston’s pitcher, Enyel De Los Santos, attempted to deliver the final blow.—
Latif Love
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Star third baseman José Ramírez broke a bone in his left hand on a swing Saturday and will be sidelined for an indefinite period, a massive blow to the two-time defending AL Central champions.—
Tom Withers,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s appreciation for and emulation of the histrionics of that sport have been much discussed over the years—recall how the late Hulk Hogan ripped his shirt to shreds at the 2024 Republican National Convention to reveal a TRUMP VANCE T-shirt underneath.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
-
The industry has been keeping a close eye on what Koosha and his producer Tom Rogers have been doing — namely, conjuring a movie out of thin air without a single shred of an actor, location, crew member or camera.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
And if that is to be the case, most Chicagoans do not give a damn whether the team goes to Arlington Heights or Hammond.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
-
In a world of drivers mostly ruled by their corporate sponsors, Busch was an otherworldly talent who simply did not give a damn.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
In fact, some are doing little to hide their skepticism – and, in some cases, outright frustration – with the agreement.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
So my whole upbringing was hiding and carrying this huge weight and secret.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The flipping technique for his classic, beautifully molten-on-the-inside Spanish tortilla takes a good amount of practice to master.—
General Manager,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
Yet, the Knicks mastered those qualities to ensure one of the NBA’s biggest markets could become great again.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Babies are handed six-shooters before the butt slap.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2026
-
Burke, a Dodgers teammate, had provided the setup for the pioneering hand slap, a spontaneous response to a homer that Baker hit in 1977.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The splash ended in an instant.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
-
The lines are clean and sharp, the palette muted, approaching grayscale (which makes later splashes of color, like in the gaudy decor of a talk show or the blood-rust-red of a post-apocalyptic sky, pop even more), and motion within the frame is kept to a minimum.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
His adoration, here as in all things natural, is infectious, although the birds themselves care not a whit for him, and isn’t that part of the wonder, the fun?—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
An unconventional structure or new approach bothers them not a whit.—
Mac Barnett,
Longreads,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lick. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
