1
as in shaved
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 stole
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 raced
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
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Recent Examples of nipped
Katie Abel, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
Tim Balk Danny Hakim Michelle Litvin Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 10 May 2026
To prove out the findings in real biology, Schramma stuck his arm back into the fish tank, nipped more leaves, and snapped microscope images of the cells within to measure Elodea’s actual packing fractions.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 May 2026
In 1968, an overzealous pup nipped a postman delivering mail to Balmoral Castle.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
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
There was also a scuba aesthetic that continued from last season with honkering inflatable coats, cocooning anoraks, and neoprene blazers nipped at the waist that looked like couture life vests and scuba suits.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
As horses nipped at bags of hay, families ate and the children danced to live music.
—Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Why weren’t these unsavory tactics nipped in the bud?
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Kurt Busch nipped Johnson by eight points in 2004, followed by Stewart’s 52-point margin in 2005.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
One standout style, with its elongated pointed nipped toe, is crafted in carbon fiber and galvanized in a car factory.
—Katie Abel, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
But a pivotal Supreme Court case nipped it in the bud.
—Tim Balk Danny Hakim Michelle Litvin Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 10 May 2026
To prove out the findings in real biology, Schramma stuck his arm back into the fish tank, nipped more leaves, and snapped microscope images of the cells within to measure Elodea’s actual packing fractions.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 May 2026
In 1968, an overzealous pup nipped a postman delivering mail to Balmoral Castle.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
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
There was also a scuba aesthetic that continued from last season with honkering inflatable coats, cocooning anoraks, and neoprene blazers nipped at the waist that looked like couture life vests and scuba suits.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
As horses nipped at bags of hay, families ate and the children danced to live music.
—Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Why weren’t these unsavory tactics nipped in the bud?
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Kurt Busch nipped Johnson by eight points in 2004, followed by Stewart’s 52-point margin in 2005.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nipped
Adjective
-
Some of the brunch buffet options are chilaquiles, waffles, a sausage scramble, chilled shrimp, salmon, mini meatballs, seasonal vegetables, short rib pasta and chicken marsala.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Freeze for up to 12 hours before serving for optimal texture and chilled temperature.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Labor Department revisions shaved 16,000 jobs from February and March payrolls.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Today, Sodebo’s current time is almost half that, yet there is more to be shaved off the record, which might even come down to as little as 30 days.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Saranrom Thai is as pinched as a back alley, a simple geometry of concrete, wood and brick, and balances frank heat and funk with cooling freshness.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
These fall-blooming asters have generally been pinched and forced several times throughout the growing season.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Unidentified trespassers stole the control stick out of an R train while it was parked underground in southern Brooklyn back in December — along a stretch of storage track popular with joyriders and graffiti artists.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Bregman singled and stole second, and Ian Happ challenged a full-count strike-3 call that was overturned to a walk.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Remembering Ted Turner, an American original Ted Turner, the brash, visionary entrepreneur who founded CNN, transformed cable television, raced yachts in the America's Cup, and became one of America's leading conservationists, died May 6 at 87.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
The California fan, Andrea Esperanza Martinez, raced up to her idol.—
Leena Tailor,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The shutdown has had a massive impact on the finances of Iranians whose businesses rely on internet access and has also effectively cut the people off from the outside world.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
After being cut from the high school team each of his first three years, Sloane piled on some muscle, increased the velocity on his fastball and drew college interest last summer.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nipped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nipped. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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