1
as in blows
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 splashes
a very small amount
the soup needs just a lick more of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damns
the smallest amount or part imaginable
you haven't done a lick of work all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in pounds
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in masters
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.
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Recent Examples of licks
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
Elk, deer, and buffalo had migrated to and from mineral licks throughout North America for millennia.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
The footage, shared to social media, features Hagen's Shaggy picking up Scooby and getting a few licks on his face.
—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Albert Collins Known as The Master Of The Telecaster, Albert Collins was both blues legend and wild-eyed showman, picking out licks on his 1966 Custom Tele, usually in an open tuning, with a capo on the neck.
—
New Atlas,
30 May 2026
A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about.
—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
22 May 2026
Eventually music theory discussion turned to actual licks.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
She was known to sneak butter from the fridge to enjoy a few finger licks.
—
ABC News,
12 Mar. 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
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers.
—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about.
—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
22 May 2026
At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.
—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.
—
Megan Sauer
tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Weir picked up his first guitar licks from David Nelson and future Jefferson Airplane member Jorma Kaukonen.
—
Richard Gehr,
Rolling Stone,
10 Jan. 2026
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Zachary Stevenson’s performance replicates the nerdy-yet-hip Texan through impressive guitar licks and superb vocals that are equally comfortable with sweet ballads and on-the-edge rockabilly songs.
—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
Elk, deer, and buffalo had migrated to and from mineral licks throughout North America for millennia.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
The footage, shared to social media, features Hagen's Shaggy picking up Scooby and getting a few licks on his face.
—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Albert Collins Known as The Master Of The Telecaster, Albert Collins was both blues legend and wild-eyed showman, picking out licks on his 1966 Custom Tele, usually in an open tuning, with a capo on the neck.
—
New Atlas,
30 May 2026
A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about.
—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
22 May 2026
Eventually music theory discussion turned to actual licks.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
She was known to sneak butter from the fridge to enjoy a few finger licks.
—
ABC News,
12 Mar. 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
Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks.
—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers.
—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about.
—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
22 May 2026
At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.
—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.
—
Megan Sauer
tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Weir picked up his first guitar licks from David Nelson and future Jefferson Airplane member Jorma Kaukonen.
—
Richard Gehr,
Rolling Stone,
10 Jan. 2026
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licks
Noun
-
Onaje died four days later — having suffered fatal brain hemorrhaging from multiple blows to his skull.
-
Officers said that Samartino quickly assessed the situation and immediately began administering back blows to the infant.
Noun
-
Many of the paintings include a portrait of a Pullman porter or a maid surrounded by splashes of color and fragments of archival documents — newspaper clippings, timesheets, employee records.
-
Get into the habit of cleaning up splashes and spilled liquids promptly to prevent them from absorbing into the surface, and avoid drenching the floor with excessive amounts of water when cleaning.
Noun
-
Their hoots and hollers drowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explanation of how a title defense fell short.
-
Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site.
Verb
-
Teams go bonkers when the player pounds their school name on the bracket.
-
Rain pounds down in a stinging curtain.
Verb
-
Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!
-
Levy masters one hilarious perplexed comedic reaction after another as Nicky, a closeted pastor with a zany, highly dysfunctional family.
Noun
-
Salicylic acid works deep within pores to tackle buildup, while lactic acid smooths rough texture and refines skin’s surface, leaving skin looking clearer and feeling smoother in just a few swipes.
-
Clark and Bonner famously got into it during a physical postseason clash in 2024, including shoves and swipes.
Noun
-
Since then, it’s been thoughtfully renovated to combine elements of Lake Tahoe’s Nordic Alpine aesthetic with contemporary lake-house touches.
-
Custom Paul Smith deck chairs are positioned on the waterfront, a collection of board games offers a respite from the sun, and other witty, Paul Smith touches are sprinkled throughout the property.
Verb
-
Harris also shows us the burn scars that ripple up Racine’s arm and across Anaia’s face, textured skin that makes strangers blanch, to which Racine lashes out defensively.
-
Continue reading … LATE-NIGHT LAMENT — Colbert lashes out at CBS, says cancellation ‘reinforced a narrative’ of ‘knee bending’ to Trump.
Cite this Entry
“Licks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licks. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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