nicknames 1 of 2

plural of nickname
as in epithets
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

nicknames

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of nickname

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 nicknames
Verb
Like other Mafia families, nicknames were commonly used to easily identify members, some with similar names given the family connections. Josh Meyer, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025 Jimmy Kimmel posted an infographic on Instagram containing dozens of scathing nicknames that protesters can call the president on their signs. Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025 Her son Kovey James often goes by KJ, while her daughter Quincy already has a handful of playful nicknames, like Q, Quinn and Quince. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025 That information from customers was leaked in a full database, including customer’s names, mobile numbers, email addresses, license plate numbers, vehicle nicknames, and more. James Peckham, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2025 And though some nicknames can wear out their welcome with age, McCollough does not feel that way about his. Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025 That is, of course, until recent reports about William and Harry’s nicknames for her resurfaced. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Sep. 2025 The boys have jokes and nicknames for each other. Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025 The suffix -y here is the same as in words like doggy or smarty, used to form nicknames or informal descriptors. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicknames
Noun
  • According to research from Copyleaks, an AI analysis firm that helps businesses and institutions navigate the shifting landscape of this emergent technology, a new trend has produced Sora videos of celebrities appearing to spew hateful racist epithets.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Then there was the woman who was Speaker of the House and would walk around talking to herself, screaming out epithets to imaginary people.
    Larry David, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Beatrice and Eugenie's children do not have royal titles and use their fathers' surnames, reflecting their parents' wishes to raise them largely outside formal royal life.
    Ashley Hume , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Roughly 77% of all arrests by the first deputy the siblings saw at the gas station had Hispanic surnames, the judge found.
    Rafael Carranza, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The common names of many of the poisonous Amanita mushrooms include foreboding monikers like death cap mushroom and destroying angel.
    Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Winterstone has tattooed monikers on many celebs, including Teigen and Matt Damon, who has his wife's and daughters' first names on his right arm.
    Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Although some characters in Red Alert have pseudonyms, both series end with images of the actors embracing their real-life counterparts.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The platform’s private servers let activists organize out of the public eye, often under pseudonyms, and use text and calling features.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nicknames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicknames. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on nicknames

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!