1
as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
that lorry was a piece of rubbish, I don't know why anyone would want to nick it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
a petty thief who was always getting nicked for picking the pockets of tourists outside Buckingham Palace
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of nicked
At one point or another, everything in life gets nicked, scratched or broken — even our relationships.
—
Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Would challenges be too boring if viewers already knew whether a pitch nicked the black?
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The visual evidence, indeed, showed that Kennedy’s finger likely nicked the stone.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 16 Feb. 2026
Conor Gallagher nicked the ball and burst down the right.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Morning glory and sweet pea seeds, for example, germinate best when nicked with a nail clipper, just enough to break the seed coat so moisture can enter more easily.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
So as of now, when the Hornets suit up for games on consecutive nights, that doesn’t mean their top two players who were nicked up during the season’s initial month won’t be in uniform and available.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 Nov. 2025
Atlanta returns from its bye week still nicked up in the secondary, with cornerback Clark Phillips out with a triceps injury, while safety Billy Bowman (knee) and corner Natrone Brooks (concussion) are questionable.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The 130-grain bullet had nicked brush.
—Robert Merchant, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Would challenges be too boring if viewers already knew whether a pitch nicked the black?
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The visual evidence, indeed, showed that Kennedy’s finger likely nicked the stone.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 16 Feb. 2026
Conor Gallagher nicked the ball and burst down the right.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Morning glory and sweet pea seeds, for example, germinate best when nicked with a nail clipper, just enough to break the seed coat so moisture can enter more easily.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
So as of now, when the Hornets suit up for games on consecutive nights, that doesn’t mean their top two players who were nicked up during the season’s initial month won’t be in uniform and available.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 Nov. 2025
Atlanta returns from its bye week still nicked up in the secondary, with cornerback Clark Phillips out with a triceps injury, while safety Billy Bowman (knee) and corner Natrone Brooks (concussion) are questionable.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
The 130-grain bullet had nicked brush.
—Robert Merchant, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicked
Verb
-
Charging documents from Howard County allege that Gough mostly stole jewelry and electronics.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In 2018, for instance, Israel’s Mossad national intelligence agency broke into an Iranian facility and stole archives on Iran’s nuclear activities, 55,000 pages and another 55,000 files stored on CDs.—
Gregory F. Treverton,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Between February 27 and March 2, the investigators found and arrested four suspects.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Three people were arrested, and an investigation is underway, Tisch said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then Jones swiped second and Seth Brown sent him home with a single that dropped right into no-man’s land as two outfielders and the shortstop converged.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Adrian Rodriguez singled, then stole second, before Temo Becerra reached on an error and swiped second base himself.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Agents also seized about $80,000 in cash, six firearms and additional quantities of narcotics during arrests carried out Thursday morning.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Government agencies commonly seized land from Black and Latino property owners to expand cities and build infrastructure.—
Ara Rosenthal,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After scoring over Denver center Nikola Jokic in the fourth quarter, James fell to the court and immediately grabbed his left elbow.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Based on court records, witness testimony and interviews with law enforcement, it’s believed that Sarah Wondra, along with one of the roommates, grabbed Michael and brought him back to the Wondras’ house.—
Alex Brizee
March 5,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The mass arrests have swelled detention centers and set ICE off on a national chase for space to warehouse those who have been apprehended.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The mass arrests have swelled detention centers, and set ICE off on a national chase for space to warehouse those who have been apprehended.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nicked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicked. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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