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
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Recent Examples of sticks
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
So people are just getting this enormous number of at bats in the hopes of trying to find the thing that sticks.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Lohan's day of filming included a version that sticks closely to the original blueprint.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Once the media sticks its oar in, the real reason for the robbery emerges by degrees.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Fuji sticks close to its playbook and delivers a camera that's simple to use, captures instant photos with the same analog aesthetic that has made Instax the instant film of choice for going on twenty years.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
The film builds with confidence, earns its twist, and sticks the landing in a way that feels both inevitable and wholly unexpected.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
So people are just getting this enormous number of at bats in the hopes of trying to find the thing that sticks.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Lohan's day of filming included a version that sticks closely to the original blueprint.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Once the media sticks its oar in, the real reason for the robbery emerges by degrees.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Fuji sticks close to its playbook and delivers a camera that's simple to use, captures instant photos with the same analog aesthetic that has made Instax the instant film of choice for going on twenty years.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticks
Verb
-
But for the Christmas-week slate, when six of the 16 games were distributed via a premium platform, the league adheres closely to that 87% free model.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 May 2026
-
But Paul Anthony Kelly is a less deft actor than Pidgeon, and he is given material that adheres even closer to the surface of the legend.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While this puts a literal damper on vacation plans, locals celebrate this time of year, as it is needed for keeping the lush foliage and crops at their best.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
-
And there’s a gallery on site gallery called Secret Gallery, which puts emphasis on indigenous artists and local artists.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The shower curtain opens, revealing an old woman, who stabs and decapitates Mary.—
Therie Hendrey-Seabrook,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Carrera now plucks the melody in single notes.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
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Using tongs, lift the pasta out of the water and transfer it to the pan, bringing along any pasta water that clings and drips from the pasta.—
Karla Walsh,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Yet there’s a strange karma that clings to the Cannes opener.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The Conservatory situates this story in forms of care—care for plants, for patients, for each other.—
Emilie Hardman,
JSTOR Daily,
6 May 2026
-
Ansin situates the origin story in personal terms.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Weltman’s draft picks outside the lottery have been unremarkable as well.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Ahead, shop more of my mom’s Quince shoe picks for looking fashionable while staying comfortable.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
For the United States, the blockade squeezes Iran’s already weakened economy by denying it long-term cash flow.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The waves, which were first used in Boston in 2011, help spread things out so that runners don’t have to walk after the start, when Main Street in Hopkinton squeezes to just 39 feet wide.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sticks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticks. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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