modicum

noun

ˈmä-di-kəm How to pronounce modicum (audio)
Definition of modicumnext
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable only a modicum of skill is necessary to put the kit together

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 modicum The fact that the show couldn’t manage even a modicum of suspense with the same material shows how utterly sauceless this adaptation is. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 In a world where prices continue to rise and current events feel unstable, the proliferation of little treat culture signals a small-but-mighty act by its advocates to exert a modicum of control (and joy) over their day. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 The Dodgers, to their credit, displayed a modicum of fight, putting up five runs in the inning, but came up short in a 7-6 loss. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The Mystic of my childhood, though, had a modicum of edge — kids with anarchy symbols on their jackets skateboarded outside a coffee shop that reeked of weed, and locals got rowdy at a dysfunctional watering hole called the Draw Bridge Inne. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for modicum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modicum
  1. damn
  2. whit
  3. lick
  4. shred
  5. hoot
Noun
  • Trump is not a successful deal maker, because no deal Trump makes is worth a damn.
    — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And if that is to be the case, most Chicagoans do not give a damn whether the team goes to Arlington Heights or Hammond.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Definition of damn
Noun
  • Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In art, as in life, the messy materiality of flesh fazes me not one whit.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of whit
Noun
  • But for the most part, both are getting their points across, landing a few licks and, so far, avoiding the sort of major gaffe or damaging moment that could reshape the race.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shafee operates in a languid, free-form zone throughout, trading his funky licks for loose, spacious lines and tolling, repetitive chords.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Not every case deserves that kind of last-minute intervention, but in Duckett’s case nearly every shred of evidence presented at his original trial has been disproven or debunked.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Every opportunity to pounce on each other, snap after gnats, and pull shreds of meat from bones is important.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of shred
Noun
  • Closer to home there’s The Invite’s Olivia Wilde, who is a hoot as a tightly wound yuppie, and who could make history as the first woman to direct herself to an acting nomination.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Whyte is a hoot, and her thick-as-thieves chemistry with Horgan a delight.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hoot

Browse Nearby Words

modesty
modicum
modicums
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Cite this Entry

“Modicum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modicum. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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