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
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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
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Recent Examples of nicking
If the outer coating is exceptionally hard, seeds may need even more help by nicking the seed coat before soaking.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 Mar. 2026
Squash Beets Beans Pumpkin Corn Chard Super hard seeds like beans will benefit from nicking the seed coat with a sandpaper block, file, or sharp knife before soaking.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 Mar. 2026
Squash Beets Beans Pumpkin Corn Chard Super hard seeds like beans will benefit from nicking the seed coat with a sandpaper block, file, or sharp knife before soaking.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicking
Verb
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Moody was all alone on his way to an easy dunk in overtime after stealing the ball from Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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And in 2022, Xiang Haitao, admitted to stealing a trade secret from Monsanto.—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The deal under discussion would fund the department except for the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement charged with arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants.—
Theodoric Meyer,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2026
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The holdup on arresting Tyson is that the public defender originally assigned to Tyson also represents Jones.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To do so, the PepsiCo unit wants to grab the attention of younger consumers on social and digital media, where interactive technology gives rise to scrolling, swiping and other short-attention span behaviors.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
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Last summer, after a year of attempting to get back on Hinge, followed by a year of swiping on other apps outside Match Group, Enfield deleted her dating apps altogether.—
Annie Joy Williams,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Behind the scenes, Rajner was an in-your-face advocate, seizing every opportunity — in corridors, elevators, even restrooms — to press the issue and keep it in front of Republican and Democratic lawmakers.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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Gil Messing, the Chief of Staff of Check Point, an Israeli cybersecurity company, said the FBI seizing the Handala site would help combat the perception of Iran’s cyber ability.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kaufman-Renn hit his first seven shots — going 6-for-6 and grabbing five rebounds in the first half — on the way to 20 points.—
Janie McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Agents targeted grocery stores, churches, and construction sites, smashing car windows and pulling people from vehicles or grabbing them at a hardware store parking lot.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That process has effectively scared many people away from filling out paperwork to recertify with Medi-Cal due to fears of being outed by the federal government, which is cracking down on undocumented immigrants by apprehending and deporting them.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
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Even before the positive results are in, Matteo turns out to be a chip off the old block by joining McGee in apprehending the kidnapper, a vengeful TURF staff cook.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicking. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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