as in countryside
the open rural area outside of big towns and cities
grew up in the sticks and is used to traveling miles just to get a loaf of bread
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in puts
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
3
as in stabs
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
could hardly feel the needle when the nurse stuck my arm with it
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in plucks
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
she got stuck by an unscrupulous seller while using the online auction site
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of sticks
Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
The ball still sticks in his hands on offense.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Heathcliff sticks his fingers in a broken egg, Cathy watches her servants enjoying a BDSM moment in the stables while Heathcliff covers her mouth and eyes.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 16 Feb. 2026
Progress sticks when compassion ensures that everyone gets heard.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
But this is not the substance of the speech that sticks.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Consistently entertaining and loopy (pardon the pun) Tales From the Loop is a visual feast that hits the ground running and sticks the landing.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Patrick sticks the blade in, but only after Huw set the table.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Barb appears, and sticks the device in Hank’s neck, pulling out the fusion chip.
—Jack King, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
If nothing sticks, the Dodgers are also not shy about spitting out the pitcher and designating him for assignment.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
The ball still sticks in his hands on offense.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Heathcliff sticks his fingers in a broken egg, Cathy watches her servants enjoying a BDSM moment in the stables while Heathcliff covers her mouth and eyes.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 16 Feb. 2026
Progress sticks when compassion ensures that everyone gets heard.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
But this is not the substance of the speech that sticks.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Consistently entertaining and loopy (pardon the pun) Tales From the Loop is a visual feast that hits the ground running and sticks the landing.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Patrick sticks the blade in, but only after Huw set the table.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Barb appears, and sticks the device in Hank’s neck, pulling out the fusion chip.
—Jack King, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticks
Verb
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But one coach who adheres closely is Army’s Jeff Monken.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Painting indoors during the winter can be a productive way to refresh your space, but temperature and indoor conditions play a major role in how well the paint adheres and dries.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That ratio puts the live-action series early in its journey through the source material.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
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The light-catching final result puts an frosty twist on the glazed donut nail trend.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But if Rick later plucks something from behind that rock at the fire, are others going to start poking around looking for stuff?—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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The first layer, called the Level-1 Trigger, or L1T, harvests 100,000 events per second, and the second layer, called the High-Level Trigger, or HLT, plucks 1,000 of those events to save for later analysis.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hungary clings to Russian oil Hungary, along with neighboring Slovakia, have defied EU efforts to wean off Russian fossil fuels, and continued to purchase them despite Moscow’s invasion.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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As Helen plots revenge and Madeline clings to her rapidly fading star, their world is suddenly turned upside down by Viola Van Horn, a mysterious woman with a secret that’s to die for.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The book effectively situates them against the backdrop of seismic developments such as Title IX in the time of the NWFL, which didn’t exist long enough or develop enough of a following to turn a profit, in contrast to the juggernaut NFL on the men’s side.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
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The film also situates the Eraserheads within the broader context of Philippine society, exploring how their music became bound up with the nation’s identity during a period of sharp political division.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That could have significant ramifications on where the team picks in the upcoming NBA draft.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
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Ahead, InStyle's picks for the 40 best Oscar looks of all time.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It also gets compressed, which squeezes the air and puts even more pressure on it, which heats it up.—
Zoe Mintz,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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As the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and squeezes jet-fuel supplies, there is a concern that airfares could rise in the weeks ahead.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sticks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticks. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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