as in defeats
failure to win a contest
our team took a licking last night, but we'll get them next time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lickings
Noun
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Interestingly, her three defeats at the grand slams this year have come at the hands of American opponents.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025 -
Think about athletes who train for years, face setbacks, injuries and defeats, yet continue pushing toward their goals.—
Aurelien Mangano,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Detainees have alleged torture and beatings inside CECOT since their release.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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The beatings became so routine that the Venezuelans scored them on a scale of one to five—the higher the number, the worse the treatment.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Her losses, both by decision, came against Amanda Nunes, including a September 2017 split decision setback against then-champ Nunes.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Operating losses, management missteps — including a disastrous 2011 Super Bowl ad — and a rapid post-IPO decline in valuation led to the 2013 ouster of Mason as CEO.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For the next three years, early intervention programs — including reading, music and speech therapy — helped monitor Ness' children, looking for possible cognitive or learning setbacks.—
Jeff Truesdell,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Using real-world victories and setbacks, Williams outlines a replicable approach to leadership that empowers readers to achieve meaningful, lasting impact for their companies or communities.—
Forbes Books Press Release Official,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Any extra trimmings would land somewhere between glib and sacrilegious.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
3 Sep. 2025
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Yes, according to the Department of Environment and Conservation, burning leaves and other debris — such as branches, tree limbs, twigs, lawn clippings, woody vegetation, yard trimmings, clean unpainted/uncoated wood, or untreated lumber — is allowed in Tennessee.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lickings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lickings. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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