1
2
as in jails
British slang
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the blokes at the pub traded stories of nights spent in the nick after having lifted too many pints
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in steals
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrests
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 nicks
Kate Perez, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
This dulls blades much faster and can also cause scratches and nicks.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
His hard hat bears months of nicks and scrapes, testament to the massive transformation underway in the 25,000-square-foot former food court at the Shops at Rivercenter mall in downtown San Antonio.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2026
No nicks or bruises or paper cuts from flipping through his playbook.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
This waterproof trimmer is ergonomic, rechargeable, and built with SkinSafe blades that help reduce nicks.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
The six-time All-Star is widely known for being injury-prone, so the Warriors can probably expect Butler to miss some time due to some nicks and bruises next season, at the very least.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
In the book, the protagonist Jonathan Harker nicks himself with a razor and senses Dracula’s rapt attention.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
If the surgeon accidently nicks a vein or cuts through a tumor in a way that causes a leakage of cancerous cells, the recovery mode is to undock the robot rapidly, cut the patient open, and fix the problem the old-fashioned way.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 July 2022
Noun
Edges at the perimeter of the card are observed to see if there are any nicks or marks on the back or front.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
This dulls blades much faster and can also cause scratches and nicks.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
His hard hat bears months of nicks and scrapes, testament to the massive transformation underway in the 25,000-square-foot former food court at the Shops at Rivercenter mall in downtown San Antonio.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2026
No nicks or bruises or paper cuts from flipping through his playbook.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
This waterproof trimmer is ergonomic, rechargeable, and built with SkinSafe blades that help reduce nicks.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
The six-time All-Star is widely known for being injury-prone, so the Warriors can probably expect Butler to miss some time due to some nicks and bruises next season, at the very least.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
Mora strikesout swinging, and Qualia gets Carson on a breaking ball that nicks the corner of the zone.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
In the book, the protagonist Jonathan Harker nicks himself with a razor and senses Dracula’s rapt attention.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
If the surgeon accidently nicks a vein or cuts through a tumor in a way that causes a leakage of cancerous cells, the recovery mode is to undock the robot rapidly, cut the patient open, and fix the problem the old-fashioned way.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicks
Noun
-
Other National Burrito Day Deals Tocaya - Tocaya Rewards Members will receive a free side of chips and guacamole with the purchase of a burrito from Tocaya on National Burrito Day.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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This flavor is made with in-season strawberries and packed with Graeter's dark chocolate chips.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That includes local jails, which are sometimes used to hold immigrants, too.—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In 2023, the number dropped significantly, even as supervision failures within jails persisted, down to 63.—
Ryan Oehrli
April 1,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Deed theft is essentially when someone steals a house, often forging the paperwork, and data obtained by CBS News New York shows a 240% increase in complaints to the New York Attorney General's Office from 2023 to 2025.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The team leader also has a lot of support from sophomore forward Sarah Strong, who leads UConn in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The sheer scale of an estate for sale in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights neighborhood — a residence spanning 26,000 square feet, or the equivalent of 10 average homes — arrests the imagination.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For the next two weeks, Rebin visited morgues, cemeteries, police stations, prisons, and forensic offices in Tehran and its neighboring districts.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Programs in Michigan prisons range from high school equivalency and special education to trades like welding, robotics and commercial truck driving.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sure, the sequence largely swipes away hints given prior that Bowser was an absent father, but in a film where most of the characters veer toward the blandly nice, watching a dad and his son bond over their same sociopathic tendencies was the only moment that tugged at the heartstrings.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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Proponents said the change will help businesses better absorb the transaction fees that credit card companies are allowed to charge each time someone swipes their credit card.—
Barbara Hoberock,
Oklahoman,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Earnest and intersectional, the spoken word artist’s debut solo album seizes upon the power of club music to preach about gender equality, personal transformation, and communal uplift.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
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So, when Ozzie (Kyle Bary), a former child star, finds himself in a heap of trouble, Jax seizes the opportunity to spice up her daily routine.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
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The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicks. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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