as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
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Recent Examples of tic
When he was hired, Hazimeh told supervisors he had been diagnosed with anxiety, resulting in an uncontrollable nervous tic.
—
Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
These death-spiral sequences are bluntly shot in and out of focus by cinematographer Doug Emmett to capture a fraying state of mind, if James’ actorly tics and frittering weren’t enough to indicate that.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025
Martinů was something of a chameleon, despite his telltale tics.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Jones explained that Aramayo would always seek permission from those who had uttered the tic.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
These death-spiral sequences are bluntly shot in and out of focus by cinematographer Doug Emmett to capture a fraying state of mind, if James’ actorly tics and frittering weren’t enough to indicate that.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025
Martinů was something of a chameleon, despite his telltale tics.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Jones explained that Aramayo would always seek permission from those who had uttered the tic.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic
Noun
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This dish will do the trick with crispy chicken and fresh zucchini tossed in a tender linguine with a robust lemon flavor.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
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But even an invitation to hang out again, perhaps paired with a gift card to a local lunch spot, could do the trick.—
Mandy Len Catron,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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By examining liver cells as the disease progressed, researchers saw that healthy liver functions slowly shut down and survival traits took over.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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The Louisville transfer features the size (6-6, 325), length and explosive traits NFL defensive coordinators covet and QBs usually lose sleep over.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But there are other factors that needled their way into the evolutionary development of dormancy characteristics.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
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There’s no single definition in our modern times, but experts generally agree on a few characteristics.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The technology will only get more polished, the mannerisms more finely calibrated, the over-all effect more persuasive.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
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Not just losing the height, but the mannerisms.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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One shocking quirk will apply to far more new car buyers than many would imagine.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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This isn’t just a quirk of modern politics.—
Brandon Rottinghaus,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The guide recommended giving her some fun idiosyncrasies.—
Amogh Dimri,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2026
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In effect, Jarmusch is standing Tolstoy on his head and suggesting that unhappy families share common forms of misery, whereas the happy ones are happy precisely because of their differences—because of the idiosyncrasies that place them outside convention.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Every genius needs their eccentricities.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Lovers of maximalist eccentricity have reclaimed the word and redefined it in a more positive tone.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In other words, containers won’t magically instill good folding habits.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
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As media consumption habits have continued to fragment, Super Bowl ad space has become even more valuable for advertisers hoping to reach a mass audience and kickstart conversations about brands and products.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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