1
as in freezing
having a low or subnormal temperature
a group of campers waking up to the nipping air of a Rocky Mountain morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
better wear a windbreaker if you're going sailing in this nipping wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shaving
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 stealing
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 hurrying
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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of nipping
Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 21 June 2023
But recent editorials in The People’s Daily—the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication—continued to call on China’s population to stick with its approach of staying vigilant and nipping outbreaks in the bud.
—Sha Hua, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2022
Likewise, her rep handled the announcements about the Bidens' rambunctious rescue dog, Major, who's been involved in several nipping incidents and has to undergo off-site behavior training.
—USA Today, 27 Apr. 2021
The nipping incident comes a few weeks after the dog caused a minor injury to someone else at the White House.
—Tim Perry, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2021
Del Mar extended its current winning streak to a season-best three in a row by first nipping Lincoln and then nudging San Jose 48-46.
—Dave Mendonca, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2017
Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
The series builds to his final French Open in 2024 when Father Time was nipping at his heels, navicular, hip, back and everything else.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Exactly one year after nipping Marist in the state finals at Duluth’s Cecil Morris Field, the Blessed Trinity Titans did it again in an identical manner, edging Marist 1-0 in the GHSA Class 4A girls’ soccer state championship game on Friday night.
—Jeff Gable, AJC.com, 16 May 2026
But Loyola is nipping at their heels.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 4 May 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
After all, new talents are constantly emerging and during their hiatus have begun nipping at their heels.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Paradise kept nipping at the heels of Westwood, but never trailed by more than 9 points in the contest.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Mar. 2026
Where the sharpness and definition can fade as viewers pull back projectors for super large screenings, AWOL Vision hit CES 2026 with a new model aimed at nipping that in the bud.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The Supra's sharp handling and responsive powertrains, however, mean its happier nipping apexes than long highway slogs.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 21 June 2023
But recent editorials in The People’s Daily—the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship publication—continued to call on China’s population to stick with its approach of staying vigilant and nipping outbreaks in the bud.
—Sha Hua, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2022
Likewise, her rep handled the announcements about the Bidens' rambunctious rescue dog, Major, who's been involved in several nipping incidents and has to undergo off-site behavior training.
—USA Today, 27 Apr. 2021
The nipping incident comes a few weeks after the dog caused a minor injury to someone else at the White House.
—Tim Perry, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2021
Del Mar extended its current winning streak to a season-best three in a row by first nipping Lincoln and then nudging San Jose 48-46.
—Dave Mendonca, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2017
Verb
Of course, Qualcomm is also at Computex, and its Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme could well be nipping at the N1X's heels before long.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
The series builds to his final French Open in 2024 when Father Time was nipping at his heels, navicular, hip, back and everything else.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Exactly one year after nipping Marist in the state finals at Duluth’s Cecil Morris Field, the Blessed Trinity Titans did it again in an identical manner, edging Marist 1-0 in the GHSA Class 4A girls’ soccer state championship game on Friday night.
—Jeff Gable, AJC.com, 16 May 2026
But Loyola is nipping at their heels.
—Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 4 May 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
After all, new talents are constantly emerging and during their hiatus have begun nipping at their heels.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Paradise kept nipping at the heels of Westwood, but never trailed by more than 9 points in the contest.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Mar. 2026
Where the sharpness and definition can fade as viewers pull back projectors for super large screenings, AWOL Vision hit CES 2026 with a new model aimed at nipping that in the bud.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nipping
Adjective
-
Richard claimed she was locked alone in the freezing car for two hours, unable to leave the vehicle because there were no interior door handles.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
-
Ensure that your freezer is set to the coldest setting before starting the flash-freezing process.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike a pitcher of drinks that need ice or a bottle of wine that requires chilling, freezer door cocktails give you a perfectly ice-cold summer cocktail ready to pour at a moment's notice.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
For anyone planning a 30-year retirement, that is a chilling statistic.—
Chris Kline,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The researchers estimated that those who got neither bright days nor dark nights were shaving five years off their lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
The criticism died down only after shaving off nanoseconds became widespread, making the strategy less profitable.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Zinnias, dahlias, cosmos, rudbeckia, marigolds, and branching sunflowers will all benefit from pinching.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
-
Escalating hardware costs are also pinching the company.—
Sebastian Herrera,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Some also broke into a tractor trailer, stealing items inside.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
-
Years before winning a Tony and becoming one of comedy’s most singular stars, Cole Escola was stealing scenes on Difficult People.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Set over the course of eight years (including the lockdown period during COVID), Herry’s film unfolds fluidly, neither hurrying scenes up unnecessarily, nor lingering too long on any incident.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The perk here is that the material holds up to cold weather by stretching and expanding without breaking, requiring fewer repairs and resource use.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
-
But there are ways of assessing it with cold hard figures, most notably the FIFA world rankings, which began in the 1990s as a way to assess the strength of international teams.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Monochrome Fit Summer weather can be unpredictable, with chilly mornings and blistering hot afternoons.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
-
Lopez has stepped out in Paris twice wearing a similar go-to uniform, including a breezy, lightweight outer layer that is ideal for chilly summer nights or rainy afternoons.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nipping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nipping. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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