LICKS Synonyms: 399 Similar and Opposite Words

licks 1 of 2

noun

plural of lick

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

as in splashes

a very small amount the soup needs just a lick more of salt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in damns

the smallest amount or part imaginable you haven't done a lick of work all day

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licks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lick

as in pounds

to strike repeatedly your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in masters

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

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.

Recent Examples of licks

Noun

Still, the 7-foot-3 giant still got his licks in on Mysterio. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Opening with the title track, feedback-heavy licks set the temperature as Dillom catches us up on the escapades of recent years. — Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026 Turay’s glassy guitar licks have a Metheny-ish tint to them, while Bemis opts to ride quick, slinky rhythms rather than abusing his crash cymbal. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 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

Verb

That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand. — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for licks

Noun

Like his wife, Andrew was also attacked with a hatchet, receiving as many as 11 blows to his face, leaving him nearly unrecognizable, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

— Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
Abby was struck 19 times by a hatchet-like object, with several blows crushing through her skull.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of blows

Noun

For all the back-to-back work, there were some splashes of imposter syndrome.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Surrounded by towering trees, Kitch-iti-kipi’s surface pulls rich green and teal hues during the spring and summer; splashes of orange and yellow during the fall; and hints of white come winter.

— Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of splashes

Noun

Church bells, owl hoots and sprinklers keeping the grass hydrated during this dry spell fill the space between the occasional motor trudging along a main road devoid of commotion.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Ranging from the sound of emergency sirens and birds screeching to low grunts and guttural hoots, their vocalizations reverberate from a sanctuary in the hot, dry hills of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.

— Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoots

Verb

Higher prices come as Ukraine pounds Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to ban diesel exports.

— Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of pounds

Verb

The real competitive advantage of the next decade will not belong to the CEO who masters every AI platform, but the CEO who consistently makes better decisions.

— Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

Definition of masters

Noun

After years of captivating users with endless swipes, dating apps are now trying to get people to put their phones down and find connection in the real world.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
According to RevitaLash, apply a few swipes of the serum to clean lashes once per day.

— Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of swipes

Noun

Other unique touches include shell carpeting, a Starlight headliner, and a dashboard that features abalone cutouts surrounding its clock.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026
The film is adorned with musical and aesthetic touches that allude to an idealized past of knights, princesses, kings and queens.

— Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of touches

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lickings

licks

lickspittle

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Style

“Licks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licks. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of licks

noun

verb

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