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
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Recent Examples of lick
Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
Miami got some good licks on Mendoza, bloodying his lip early on a shot from Jakobe Thomas that probably could have drawn a flag for targeting.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
Legend has it that when Buddha was painting the sky, blue pigment dripped onto the floor and his inquisitive chow chow licked the puddle, coloring the dog’s tongue permanently.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Noun
And all without a lick of spandex.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026
Miami got some good licks on Mendoza, bloodying his lip early on a shot from Jakobe Thomas that probably could have drawn a flag for targeting.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
Legend has it that when Buddha was painting the sky, blue pigment dripped onto the floor and his inquisitive chow chow licked the puddle, coloring the dog’s tongue permanently.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lick
Noun
-
The final blow came in the 70th minute with Sveindís Jónsdóttir’s run down the left flank, setting up Miahara Niehues, making a late run in the middle, for the finish.—
Damian Calhoun,
Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Hot tools are big and bulky, and most hotels provide some sort of blow dryer.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The offerings are pure Tennessee, with not a shred of brisket to be found.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Not an ounce of human empathy, not a shred of human decency.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What is emerging instead is a stewardship model that treats vital ecosystems, like coral reefs, as dynamic systems requiring maintenance, repair, and adaptation, much like roads, damns, and power grids.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
My parents have no idea what’s happening because legacy media is not reporting on anything worth a damn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Afterward, Smith didn’t hide his frustration.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Mar. 2026
-
And Elijah Wood provides a cheeky, bemused-insider vibe as the Danforths’ lawyer, who’s overseeing the technicalities and generally hiding behind a lectern when contestants start exploding.—
Jada Yuan,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The actor mastered Charles' verbal and physical mannerisms — and played the piano and lip-synced with a fervor few actors have ever mustered.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Using food as a motivator, Merlin mastered the buttons in record time.—
Seth Carnell,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The year 2000 was a good one for world-dominating rap singles that landed like an open palm slap to the jaw.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Will Smith’s onstage slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars is the obvious example.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Kansas City Chiefs’ reshaping of their running backs room did not end with splash free-agent signing Kenneth Walker.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Stung by his firing from The Lovely Bones, Wahlberg turns down The Fighter, thinking the film won’t be a big enough splash to turn his career around.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, Trump cares not a whit about bringing drug traffickers to justice.—
Peter Kornbluh,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Miss Keaton…is not a whit like the flustered ingénue she was cast to play.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lick. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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