Synonyms of nip

nip 1 of 3

noun (1)

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

• spice
• tang
• piquancy
• zing
• zest
• pungency
• excitement
• thrill
• flavor
• spiciness
• stimulation
• bitterness
• stimulus
• hotness
• savor
• stimulant
• raciness
• invigoration
• acuteness
• sharpness
• keenness
• provocativeness
• fieriness
• tastiness
• mordancy
• trenchancy
• redolence
• savoriness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• insipidity
• flatness
• tastelessness
• dullness
• monotony
• weakness
• predictability
• insipidity
• sameness
• tediousness
• platitude
• thinness
• blandness
• monotonousness

2

as in shred

a very small amount

I'll have just a nip of your sandwich

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shred
• splash
• hint
• glimmer
• sprinkling
• touch
• bit
• speck
• lick
• little
• tad
• dab
• spark
• trace
• smack
• handful
• pinch
• bite
• particle
• dram
• ounce
• smell
• ray
• streak
• crumb
• sliver
• suspicion
• spot
• mite
• peanuts
• drop
• strain
• snap
• shade
• spatter
• fleck
• scintilla
• smidgen
• scruple
• ace
• portion
• drop in the bucket
• soupçon
• nibble
• dash
• minimum
• shadow
• driblet
• dose
• skosh
• grain
• taste
• jot
• molecule
• patch
• modicum
• whit
• part
• atom
• syllable
• semblance
• granule
• section
• dot
• vestige
• morsel
• mote
• scattering
• scrap
• minim
• iota
• fragment
• hoot
• tittle
• shiver
• smattering
• flyspeck
• flake
• nubbin
• clipping
• splinter
• chip
• shaving
• tatter
• paring
• shard
• smatter
• smithereens
• shot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deal
• loads
• plenty
• mountain
• quantity
• pile
• mass
• stack
• peck
• bundle
• barrel
• mess
• bushel
• abundance
• bucket
• wealth
• lot
• heaps
• wad
• raft
• fistful
• profusion
• reams
• volume
• surplus
• excess
• lashings
• gobs
• embarrassment
• overflow
• passel
• oodles
• surfeit
• boatload
• potful
• scads
• bonanza
• overabundance
• oversupply
• lump
• much
• superabundance
• superfluity
• slab
• overage
• chunk
• hunk
• overkill
• overmuch

3

as in chill

an uncomfortable degree of coolness

there's a nip in the air today

Synonyms & Similar Words

• chill
• bitterness
• bite
• chilliness
• cold
• bleakness
• coldness
• sharpness
• nippiness
• rawness
• crispness
• briskness
• freeze
• iciness
• frigidity
• frostiness
• snap
• frigidness
• gelidity
• wintriness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• warmth
• warmness
• heat
• balminess
• hotness
• sultriness

nip

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in sip

the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time

give me just a nip of milk to help me swallow this pill

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sip
• drink
• gulp
• swallow
• belt
• sup
• snort
• slug
• swig
• draft
• drag
• drop
• shot
• quaff
• swill
• dram

nip

3 of 3

verb

ˈnip 

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

• shave
• cut
• trim
• clip
• mow
• snip
• prune
• crop
• pare
• cut back
• shear
• dock
• bob
• lop (off)
• poll
• pinch
• whittle
• skive
• curtail
• shorten
• stump
• manicure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extend
• elongate
• lengthen

2

as in to pinch

to squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points

the puppy nipped her hand while playing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pinch
• hold
• clutch
• grip
• grasp
• take
• clasp
• tweak
• crimp

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• drop
• release
• free
• spring
• loosen
• loose

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

• steal
• swipe
• grab
• lift
• snatch
• pinch
• pilfer
• filch
• purloin
• rob
• thieve
• nick
• snitch
• pocket
• appropriate
• hook
• rip off
• take
• boost
• run off with
• walk off with
• misappropriate
• hijack
• pick
• make away with
• seize
• sack
• make off with
• heist
• loot
• knock over
• plunder
• pillage
• poach
• rustle
• burglarize
• rifle
• shoplift
• grasp
• kidnap
• collar
• spirit
• nail
• abduct
• sponge
• mooch
• carjack
• shanghai

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• buy
• purchase
• give
• present
• contribute
• donate
• bestow
• hand over

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

• hurry
• rush
• scurry
• trot
• fly
• drive
• travel
• race
• speed
• chase
• jump
• scoot
• zip
• run
• blow
• buzz
• scuttle
• dart
• step
• rip
• tear
• shoot
• jog
• breeze
• dash
• blast
• rustle
• zoom
• hasten
• bowl
• whirl
• bolt
• hurl
• jet
• hump
• hustle
• belt
• hie
• ram
• crack (on)
• blaze
• motor
• rocket
• whisk
• career
• hurtle
• course
• hare
• beat it
• barrel
• bundle
• pelt
• get a move on
• gallop
• bustle
• careen
• bomb
• highball
• make tracks
• flit
• step on it
• scamper
• shake a leg
• hotfoot (it)
• cannonball
• streak
• accelerate
• beetle
• sprint
• scuffle
• stampede
• overtake
• scud
• step out
• whiz
• outrun
• quicken
• catch up
• outpace
• outstrip
• arrow
• fast-forward
• beeline

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creep
• crawl
• drag
• poke
• linger
• poke
• hang (around or out)
• lag
• loiter
• dawdle
• stroll
• saunter
• tarry
• amble
• shuffle
• slow (down or up)
• plod
• lumber
• decelerate
• dillydally
• dally

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of nip

Noun

Wear it with a khaki trench coat for a trendy pairing at outdoor events when there’s a nip in the air. — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026

Expansions, nips, and tucks happened over the years, but the British Colonial design was needing a facelift when Hurricane Irma decimated the island in September 2017. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

This is an issue that, to my mind, keeps nipping at the heels of the current crop of directorial It Boys. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

And nipped any indication that Williams was taunting the 45-year-old coach in the bud. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 14 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing nip

• nip and tuck

Video

'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

Is it 'nip it in the butt' or 'nip it in the bud'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word and feels like the right word isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn. You don't nip something in the butt if you want to stop it before it gets worse, though, maybe that would work in some cases. No, you nip it in the bud. You figuratively pinch off the bud before it opens into a leaf or flower.