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
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Recent Examples of nip
Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The company's own Super Refresh technology is also baked in to nip image ghosting in the bud.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Harry Booth, Time, 9 Nov. 2025
And perhaps most tellingly, the entire event was tinged with anticipation of Japan’s 2026 spotlight as the Cannes Film Market’s Country of Honor, a coronation that arrives just as Korean and Chinese competitors are nipping at Japanese content’s heels.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Noun
The massive stock of mini, nip-sized liquor bottles behind the bar?
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The company's own Super Refresh technology is also baked in to nip image ghosting in the bud.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Lately, though, that breakdown of trust has started nipping at Wikipedia’s heels.
—Harry Booth, Time, 9 Nov. 2025
And perhaps most tellingly, the entire event was tinged with anticipation of Japan’s 2026 spotlight as the Cannes Film Market’s Country of Honor, a coronation that arrives just as Korean and Chinese competitors are nipping at Japanese content’s heels.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nip
Verb
-
Piza’s research showed that ShotSpotter alerts shaved off roughly 90 seconds from Kansas City police response time, but did not minimize gun violence or improve solve rates for cases occurring in the area where it is installed.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
12 Jan. 2026
-
They are created by taking a lamb or sheep pelt and tanning its hide—that would be the sheepskin part of the equation—while also shaving down its wool, aka, the shearling, to a uniform length.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sliding rents and soaring construction costs have pinched developers, Brending said, stalling at least three large-scale projects in the State Street district.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Slightly pink in color (primarily from Tabasco and cayenne) and beautifully glossy, the sauce is tongue-pinching sour but immediately melds into a complex blend of heat, tang, and umami.—
Matt Moore,
Southern Living,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of the more entertaining theories to explain Indiana’s success is that a Hoosiers staffer hacked a cloud to steal the opponent’s game plans.—
Mac Engel
January 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The perfect partner for the look is a powder pink clutch and stole, both with embroidery that matches the dress.—
Ana Serrano,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rafiq thanked the shopkeeper and hurried out of the bazaar’s maze-like structure to find his car.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Caracas, Venezuela — The morning after US forces bombed Caracas, dragged President Nicolás Maduro out of bed, carted him over the Caribbean and installed him in a Brooklyn jail, many Venezuelans hurried to the grocery store.—
Mary Triny Mena,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carolina cut the lead 17-14 at halftime after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hubbard and a 16-yard scramble by Young, the second-longest TD run of his career.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
This same staff cut him to make room for a waiver-wire claim before the start of the 2024 season.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Miami’s first Black Art Basel exhibit was held at the Lyric Theater.—
Dorothy Jenkins Fields,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
He was tagged and pictured holding a skull on the group page, ABC 6 reported.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Studies show the average American family pays more than $1,200 a year in higher prices tied directly to swipe fees.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Had one of his schools swiped a Big Ten athlete under contract (with tampering as the mechanism), Sankey’s credibility on the issue would have been severely undercut and his relationship with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti might have been damaged.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
First responders in Atlanta rushed to an airport runway Tuesday after an aircraft experienced a harrowing landing failure, with all eight of its landing tires bursting the moment the plane touched down, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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Lopez rushed her back to the emergency room, where an MRI revealed a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the spinal cord.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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 15 Jan. 2026.
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