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
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2
as in splash
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lick
Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2025
Couldn’t find the country on a map, couldn’t speak a lick of Japanese.
—Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 May 2025
As his 10-foot jumper licked the front of the rim, bounced up and hung as if filled with helium, there dangled Jeff Van Gundy’s job as the Knicks’ head coach, Patrick Ewing’s future and the path of the franchise.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lick
Noun
Stuff like the marching band doesn’t make a lick of sense.
—Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2025
Couldn’t find the country on a map, couldn’t speak a lick of Japanese.
—Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
In this case, Colin eagerly licks up the mud off Ray’s boots when told to, all within the first 20 minutes of the movie.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 May 2025
As his 10-foot jumper licked the front of the rim, bounced up and hung as if filled with helium, there dangled Jeff Van Gundy’s job as the Knicks’ head coach, Patrick Ewing’s future and the path of the franchise.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lick
Noun
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If approved, the cuts would served a devastating blow to the U.N., which is already struggling as other governments also cut contributions.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
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Her relationship may have been seen as the ideal outcome of inner work, so its collapse may have felt disappointing, like a blow to their healing process.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Walls were observed with food splash and debris throughout the kitchen area, especially in hard to reach areas, such as behind and below equipment.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2025
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Vulcan’s most high-visibility splash in the pickleball world was their 2024 agreement with the UPA to become the official ball of both the PPA and MLP, a contract reportedly worth more than $2M annually and which instantly created a market for their VPro flight ball.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
And as far as luxurious treats go, well, the afternoon high tea there is not to be missed, and the theme changing monthly offers the strongest argument yet to treat oneself ad infinitum without giving a tinker’s damn about the current economy.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2025
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Since the death of Tom Petty meant an end to his primary job in 2017, Tench has still been visible in the background as a member of the house band in practically any tribute show that’s worth a damn.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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How Was Antonio Navarro Murdered? At 7:30 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 16, 2017, as Antonio was leaving for work, Salvador hid in the couple’s building garage, according to TIME.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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Ukraine was able to smuggle drones deep into Russia by hiding them in the tops of flatbed trucks, which parked near military bases before the drones lifted off to attack planes on the runway.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Verb
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There’s a belief that merely mastering a posture that keeps the battle alive, even if the defender successfully wipes the hand away while simultaneously bringing more power to the punches that do connect, can shift those win-rate averages from league worst to something more manageable.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
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Maron will portray Chuck Plotkin, the producer who painstakingly mastered Springsteen’s pivotal 1982 album Nebraska.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Not finishing the story is a real slap in the face to all the loyal fans who did stick around.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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During the final House vote, Republican lawmakers approached the speaker with congratulatory handshakes and back slaps.—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
And yet, the poem’s haunting finale carried a shred of hope.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for about 3 1/2 hours until meat shreds easily.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
6 May 2025
Noun
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The most memorable offerings didn’t care a whit about product-testing strategies.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
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Vie comes on the heels of Doja’s 2023 album Scarlet, whit hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lick. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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