1
as in stealing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arresting
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicking
Verb
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In a decision filed last week in Fulton County Superior Court, District Attorney Fani Willis said there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute Patty Durand for stealing trade secrets, which is a felony.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026 -
Portland cut it to single digits early in the fourth with a pair of at-the-rim makes by Robert Williams III, the second of which Holiday set up by stealing an errant White pass.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Krasner noted immigration agents have been keeping tabs on courthouse proceedings, targeting and arresting people usually just outside the buildings.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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That was the campaign promise, but the reality this past year has been far different with the obvious and well-documented fact that ICE has been trawling around arresting people based on looks or accents or location.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Home security camera footage captured a suspect wearing black clothing and glasses swiping the bear off the front porch of the Lakeshore Drive home.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Keep swiping, because new love might be waiting to meet you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But seizing current oil production is one thing; overhauling Venezuela's entire oil industry would be another.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
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Trump has occasionally discussed seizing Greenland since his first term but few initially took his threats seriously.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Thomas then appeared to quickly lunge at Leon, swiftly grabbing and lifting him up before body slamming the suspect to the ground.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Protesters in Minneapolis have since flooded the streets in the thousands, and ICE agents have responded by apprehending some, shoving others to the ground, and spraying chemical irritants in their faces.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
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While our immigration enforcement should be focused on apprehending and prosecuting violent criminals to make our communities safer, these ICE actions are doing the opposite and making our state less safe.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Nicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicking. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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