1
as in spice
the quality or state of being stimulating to the mind or senses
the barbecue sauce has a nip to it that balances out the sweetness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shred
a very small amount
I'll have just a nip of your sandwich
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
there's a nip in the air today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
I'm just going to nip these hedges, and then I'll be done with the work outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
that guy nipped my wallet from the restaurant table when I turned away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to hurry
to proceed or move quickly
I'll just nip off to the corner store for some milk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of nip
A.o. Scott, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The program is designed to help cities and towns provide for collection and proper disposal of nips and to prevent littering.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
Bruce Handy, Vulture, 20 May 2025
Some of those gardeners at the sale may begin their patchwork right after Mother’s Day, but that plan can backfire when a cold front moves in, like what is happening this week, and frost can nip those fragile young seedlings.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Noun
And bought a morning paper, which neither of us read;
John Cameron Mitchell, actor
Exhaustion nips at the heels of delight; the ferries and subways never stop running.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The program is designed to help cities and towns provide for collection and proper disposal of nips and to prevent littering.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
By the time Eclipse was published in August 2007, the series had acquired an obsessive fandom big enough to nip at the heels of those devoted to Harry Potter or Star Wars.
—Bruce Handy, Vulture, 20 May 2025
Some of those gardeners at the sale may begin their patchwork right after Mother’s Day, but that plan can backfire when a cold front moves in, like what is happening this week, and frost can nip those fragile young seedlings.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nip
Verb
-
Courtney's husband surprises their daughter after shaving his beard off.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
On those three days, just over a millisecond is expected to be shaved off the standard 24-hour day.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Panic can result if the loss pinches your finances.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
My toes were pinched by crabs approximately thirty times.—
David Litt
June 25,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
This attack works through thousands of dangerous websites, stealing credit card or PayPal details as soon as they’re entered.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
In a near-future Kolkata, ravaged by climate change, one family is about to escape, until their visas are stolen.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Archer’s first delivery, timed at 87.4mph, hurried the left-handed Jaiswal.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
The scene from election night On June 24, the night of the most recent meeting, members hurried into the Picnic House to hear the results of the votes.—
Vanessa Romo,
NPR,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Both headphones are astonishingly quiet, virtually eliminating lower drone sounds, cutting higher frequency noises like key clicks, and even erasing piercing sounds like dogs barking with a bit of music.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
-
To pay for these initiatives, the law cuts Medicaid and food stamps — programs relied upon by poor households with children — by more than $1 trillion.—
MORIAH BALINGIT,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
And believe it or not, plenty are genuinely comfortable, holding their own against traditional footwear.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
15 July 2025
-
Dreck is intended to highlight that rules are not alone in the regulatory universe, and urge that policymakers recognize and be held to account for the laundering of regulation by non-rule means to influence outcomes or inflict obligations, whether intentional or not.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Now, though, Tinder cofounder Justin Mateen swiped right on the property, purchasing it alongside his brother Tyler and Culver Capital for $82.2 million.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
9 July 2025
-
These tiny Android-style slabs can be swiped up for battery info and swiped left or right to navigate the screens.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
The priest survived, but had to be rushed to the hospital to have shrapnel from the bomb removed from his body.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Humanity is rushing toward a climate cliff, and MAGA is jamming its foot on the gas pedal.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 July 2025
Video
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
We're gonna stop you right there
Cite this Entry
“Nip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nip. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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