sucks

present tense third-person singular of suck, informal + sometimes impolite
as in smells
to be objectionable or unsatisfactory it's amazing that a song that sucks so bad can be so popular

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 sucks My main piece of evidence for this is that apparently the food in the silo sucks. Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 Baby sucks the teether while the cyclops gets stabbed in the eye. Zachary Pincus-Roth, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Our latest reminder of just how much everything sucks right now comes from BMW (by way of @metav3rse on Instagram). Byron Hurd, The Drive, 5 Aug. 2026 Though wildfires are often associated with the West Coast’s dry summers, climate change is putting more and more places at risk of wildfires as increasingly hot air sucks moisture from forests. Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 3 Aug. 2026 The intense sun, heat and aridity sucks the moisture out of everything — skin, leaves, soil, etc. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 Not the layoffs, the mergers, the rampant unemployment, and the fear that comes with it — all of that and more unreservedly sucks. Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 9 July 2026 Spoiled by their success A wide-open primary for governor without a debate sucks the suspense out of the room. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2026 My hearing still sucks, but that’s part of life. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucks
smells
Verb
  • My usual deodorant has stopped working, and my sweat suddenly smells different or much stronger than before.
    Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
  • White vinegar has quietly become the go-to secret weapon for laundry that smells better, feels softer, and looks brighter.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sucks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucks. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!