NICKS Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

nicks 1 of 2

noun

plural of nick

as in chips

a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface I made a nick in the frame when I accidentally dropped it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

outsides

nicks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of nick, British slang

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

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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

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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 nicks

Noun

Stay away from cucumbers with any bruising or nicks in the skin because these can lead to deterioration. — Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 2 July 2026 In addition to keeping your drink close and your hands empty during your daily activities, the water bottle holder protects your water bottle from nicks and dings. — Clint Davis, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Be sure that the jars are free of nicks and cracks, and the lids aren't dented or rusted. — Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026 Minimal nicks can typically be removed by sharpening the blades, but serious damage may necessitate a blade replacement. — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026 Smooth Dents and Remove Stains from Wood Wooden floors and tables can be extremely prone to dents, nicks, and stains, but an iron can be a surprisingly effective way to clear off water stains and smooth out dents. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 23 Apr. 2026 Up and down rosters everywhere, nicks, bruises, tears, strains and sprains continue wreaking havoc on our fantasy rosters. — John Laghezza, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 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 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

Verb

Base editing, the process used to make the changes, only nicks one strand of DNA, avoiding the major DNA errors that made CRISPR unsafe. — Carolyn Y. Johnson, Washington Post, 25 June 2026 That means a ball that nicks a sliver of the plate at the front and then dives into the dirt will not be called a strike by ABS. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026 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

If desired, add wood chunks or foil packets of wood chips for light smoke flavor.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
This means that Amazon is designing the chips that go into its devices.

— Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Definition of chips

Noun

The five-member Board of Supervisors is charged with approving settlements with the families of people who die or are injured in county jails.

— Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
The program was established by state lawmakers in 2018 as a way to help stem the tide of mental illness in jails and prisons, usually by dismissing cases and offering treatment for the underlying conditions behind a defendant’s arrest.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 July 2026

Definition of jails

Verb

Expect travelers working on laptops by day, and by night, the motorized liquor riser—stacked with 1,500 bottles—steals the spotlight, a clever riff on NYC’s old automats.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
Rookie Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians steals second base against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field on June 10, 2026.

— Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of steals

Verb

Keith arrests our thinking, and cons us into suppressing our critical faculties with the same kind of internalized surveillance that philosopher Michel Foucault broke down to describe a prison’s use of the panopticon in Discipline and Punish.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Devlin throws a punch at Stone when the chief arrests him for drunken driving.

— Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026

Definition of arrests

Noun

Nanayakkara said some 734 inmates who were involved in the violence were transferred to other prisons.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
The program was established by state lawmakers in 2018 as a way to help stem the tide of mental illness in jails and prisons, usually by dismissing cases and offering treatment for the underlying conditions behind a defendant’s arrest.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 July 2026

Definition of prisons

Verb

Shields' younger daughter inherited her love of fashion and regularly swipes designer pieces from her closet.

— Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Geomagnetic conditions are expected to intensify late tonight into early tomorrow, if the CME swipes Earth, according to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 May 2026

Definition of swipes

Verb

Trump seizes America’s 250th-birthday spotlight, headlining the Great American State Fair, hosting a UFC bout at the White House and promoting new passports, $250 bills and coins bearing his image.

— Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Ellie brings up the salad and seizes the opportunity to take credit for her part in making lunch.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026

Definition of seizes

Noun

This includes providing the Colombian military more leeway in the field, signing a new security agreement with Washington and building 10 mega-prisons that mimic Bukele’s network of penitentiaries in El Salvador.

— Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Behind bars in state penitentiaries in Gatesville and Marlin, Mejia felt forgotten.

— Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026