1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

nickname 1 of 2

noun

ˈnik-ˌnām How to pronounce nickname (audio)
Definition of nicknamenext
as in moniker
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual his wavy hair earned him the nickname "Curly" early in life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

nickname

2 of 2

verb

as in to code-name

Related Words

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 nickname
Noun
Forever chemicals are the nickname of a family of chemicals also known as PFAS that can linger in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. — Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2026 The name has an elegant, European feel but also playful, accessible nicknames like Freddy and Fred to keep it grounded. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
Lunar Outpost's rover, nicknamed Pegasus, is lighter and can travel about three mph faster. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 27 May 2026 The whale, affectionately nicknamed Timmy, was rescued and subsequently stranded several times during his stint in the public eye. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nickname
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nickname
  1. moniker
  2. rename
  3. epithet
  4. miscall
  5. surname
  6. misname
  7. specify
  8. denote
Noun
  • These practices have made some industries a permanent part of the country’s political fabric, and given rise to unflattering monikers like Big Oil or Big Pharma or Big Food.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The legendary playwright has penned dramatic productions with some of the most popular monikers of all time, including Jessica and Olivia.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of moniker
Verb
  • To rename it and tell the companies developing it to regulate themselves.
    — Ari Levy, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • This from a guy who wants to rename Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico.
    — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of rename
Noun
  • The raid drew criticism over separating families, and a group of Idahoans sued, saying officers hurled racial epithets and largely withheld water, food, bathrooms and medical care.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Hochman detailed a number of prosecutions, including the sentence of one man to a life sentence plus seven years with the possibility of parole for a March 23 attack, during which racial epithets were uttered.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of epithet
Verb
  • Nearly every major polling outfit miscalled the 2016 Presidential race.
    — Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2020
Definition of miscall
Noun
  • Interestingly, Arden may be familiar as a surname, as in cosmetics entrepreneur Elisabeth Arden or Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden.
    — Sarah Scott, Parents, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The filing marked Vivienne’s latest public move to distance herself from the Pitt surname.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of surname
Verb
  • In some cases, police and lawyers inflict further harm by misgendering and misnaming victims.
    — Kristin Lam, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2019
  • In some editions, a story that began on the cover about the central SoMa development lawsuit settlement misnamed a nonprofit developer hoping to build affordable housing in South of Market.
    — SFChronicle.com, SFChronicle.com, 1 Oct. 2019
Definition of misname
Verb
  • Smith never specified whether his 10-day protocol was liquids-only, time-restricted or a total abstention from food and drink, a distinction that matters clinically.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Greer did not specify Friday which products are covered by the agreements, how tariffs on those goods could change or when the new terms would take effect.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of specify
Verb
  • Michelin has introduced a rating of wineries where one grape denotes a very good producer; two an excellent producer, and three an exceptional producer.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The following table, like others below, shows their ages on June 1, 2030, with greens highlighting younger players and reds denoting those who’ll be over 30.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of denote

Browse Nearby Words

nicking (at)
nickname
nicknamed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nickname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nickname. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of slew

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All