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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nip
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
For more wonderful panoramas of the Douro river, nip over to Arco Das Verdades – a small, friendly wine bar with a decent selection of traditional Portuguese nibbles.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
Barry Scanlon, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Tired of the nipping Chihuahuas’ defense against him, Jokic let the official have it early on, getting a technical.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nip
Noun
There were seven empty nip bottles — vodka.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
For more wonderful panoramas of the Douro river, nip over to Arco Das Verdades – a small, friendly wine bar with a decent selection of traditional Portuguese nibbles.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
Merrimack College was eliminated by North Dakota, Providence College was bounced by Quinnipiac and the University of Connecticut was nipped by Michigan State on Thursday.
—Barry Scanlon, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Tired of the nipping Chihuahuas’ defense against him, Jokic let the official have it early on, getting a technical.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nip
Noun
-
The lemonade is green with tarragon, the food full of marigold, summer savory and blue fenugreek, a spice that appears in almost no other cuisine on earth.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
The Indian recipe is made with warming spices like cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Tradwives are delivering the last shreds of domestic privacy, intimacy, and pleasure directly into the hands of late-stage capitalism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
-
As this sequence plays out, the social fabric further shreds and unravels; trust circles shrink and become ever more homogeneous; and hostility, mean spiritedness, and a general hardening take hold in society.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome causes fatigue, fever, muscle aches, abdominal problems, headaches, chills and dizziness in the early stages, and late symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and lungs filling with fluid.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, difficulty breathing and chest pain.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Saturday and Sunday Visit beautiful local gardens, sip on some wine and support a local elementary school with Mom on Sunday in East Sacramento.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
-
The child was allegedly forced to drink half of the pint of the whiskey as punishment for taking a sip from the bottle, per The Advocate.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
But drivers wouldn’t immediately see that full amount shaved off their bills under a suspension.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Ghia’s take on the XK140 was likely even faster, since its lightweight aluminum body—replacing the standard model’s steel shell—shaved as much as 220 pounds.—
Howard Walker,
Robb Report,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Pain in the hand, wrist and thumb that worsens or prevents you from gripping, pinching or holding items.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
Young plants benefit from pinching back early in the growing season to encourage branching.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The Golden Knights regained the lead in the best-of-seven second-round series, 2-1, after stealing Game 1 in Vegas and very nearly being shut out in Game 2.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
-
The Sixers had momentum — a chance to steal (yes, steal) a game against a far (yes, far) superior Knicks team and salvage what was left of their playoff hopes after ceding the first two games of the second-round series at Madison Square Garden.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
But hurry, these fashion-forward picks sell quickly.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
-
Her friend hurried over, not to look up, but to look down — both of them staring at a glowing screen while, just beyond them, Crux was visible in the night sky.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
8 May 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 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
