STICKING Synonyms: 174 Similar and Opposite Words

sticking

verb

present participle of stick

as in adhering

to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion those magnets are strong enough to stick to the refrigerator without any problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in putting

to arrange something in a certain spot or position you can stick that box in the corner until I figure out where to put everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stabbing

to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object could hardly feel the needle when the nurse stuck my arm with it

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as in squeezing

to rob by the use of trickery or threats she got stuck by an unscrupulous seller while using the online auction site

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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 sticking Her birthday cake sits on the bed next to her, a piece removed, the knife sticking in the side like a murder weapon. —

Tony Bravo, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026 But some people were referring to the movie internally as Pizza Movie, and that was sticking. —

Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026 Karaban’s sticking power is a fascinating dynamic when juxtaposed with the changing climate in college basketball. —

Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026 Knaus Berry Farm is visited by thousands of people each season, who stand in long lines for the finger-sticking cinnamon rolls, homemade pies and jams or the strawberry shakes, made from the strawberries grown in fields behind the market. —

Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026 This creates a lack of airflow in the soil that prevents roots from growing down and sticking. —

Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 1 Apr. 2026 With nearly all of the 10 million Indians who live in the Gulf sticking it out during the conflict with Iran, efforts by New Delhi to overhaul the rights of its workers abroad are falling short of what is needed, according to the Indian news outlet Scroll. —

Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026 In Texas, a man was charged after allegedly sticking his camera up the skirt of an agent during a showing. —

Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026 A day earlier, a New Mexico jury also found Meta liable for making decisions that harmed its young users, sticking Meta with a $375 million bill. —

Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticking

Verb

What researchers do know is that the sounds come from stick-slip friction—the regular cycles of two objects adhering and moving between one another.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 2026
Homeowners should avoid painting the exterior of their home if the temperature or humidity is expected to fluctuate significantly, as this could leave bubbles or prevent the paint from adhering properly.

— Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026