lickings

noun

plural of licking
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
  1. defeats
  2. beatings
  3. losses
  4. whippings
  5. setbacks
  6. trimmings
Noun
  • Efficiency is always a good thing, but refusing to adapt defeats the whole purpose.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • There were fires to put out; an unbalanced squad, unsettled players, grumpy fans, some truly dispiriting defeats.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of defeats
Noun
  • Complaints about poor conditions were often ignored or met with violence, including late-night beatings and pepper spray, detainees said.
    — Churchill Ndonwie, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
  • Withstanding territorial beatings from rival lions.
    — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of beatings
Noun
  • Employees want real transparency about how AI might shift their roles and assurance that efficiency gains do not automatically spell job losses.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • After Saturday’s 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres, the Marlins tied a franchise record with 11 straight losses.
    — Tyler M. Carmona, Miami Herald, 26 July 2026
Definition of losses
Noun
  • Reynolds cites the early-18th-century diary of William Byrd II, who read Homer in the morning and administered whippings to refractory slaves in the afternoon.
    — James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • There was physical violence as well — whippings, beatings, even bricks thrown.
    — Pamela Chelin, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Definition of whippings
Noun
  • But also quite a few issues, like mechanical problems, operational setbacks and a possible performance deficit.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Mayfield, initially an MVP contender, battles a cascade of physical setbacks that undermine his team's success, though his family life and competitive nature shine through.
    — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of setbacks
Noun
  • An extra week in the sun can turn lawn clippings and trimmings into a smelly soup and attract bugs and other unwanted pests.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • Trim overgrown house plants; use trimmings for cuttings.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
Definition of trimmings
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Lickings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lickings. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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