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
The major difference is that tics are uncontrollable, while stimming is a self-soothing behavior that people often have more control over.3
What Causes Tics?
—
Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 26 June 2025
This writing tic has traditionally been associated with bad high-school level essays.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Odder still, Ahn has a too-clever tic of cutting away from big confrontations.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
At the end of her sparring match with Grey, Elsbeth clumsily using her flimsy weapon as a cane is a hilarious example of one of those tics.
—Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 26 June 2025
This writing tic has traditionally been associated with bad high-school level essays.
—Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Odder still, Ahn has a too-clever tic of cutting away from big confrontations.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
At the end of her sparring match with Grey, Elsbeth clumsily using her flimsy weapon as a cane is a hilarious example of one of those tics.
—Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic
Noun
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From fashion tips and tricks to tween and teen hair and nails, our back-to-school style guide has a little bit of everything.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
29 July 2025
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So begins a scrappy come-up story, about older dogs learning new tricks to revitalize a dying print industry.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
28 July 2025
Noun
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Her signature ultra-thin, arched eyebrows, a style trait belonging to her renowned ’90s aesthetic, were kept intact, while her lips glowed as if they’d been coated in a thin layer of chapstick.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
29 July 2025
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Along those same lines, calling specific traits of genes good, could also cause people to look at other people who don’t have those genes in a lesser light.—
Sonia Thompson,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Noun
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Sometimes an offense takes on the characteristics of its most distinguishable member - only the Brewers have a lower team average exit speed than the Padres, and only a handful of clubs hit more line drives, as the club mimics the tendencies of Luis Arraez.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Felix Brill, chief investment officer at VP Bank, agrees that the SGD has many characteristics of a modern safe haven, including macroeconomic stability, strong institutions, a large current account surplus, and low political risk.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Disney Imagineers also studied muscle structure and nuances of speaking and gesturing, to mimic Walt Disney’s mannerisms and movements.—
Natasha Chen,
CNN Money,
17 July 2025
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The Walt animatronic looks authentic and natural while capturing the appearance, movements and mannerisms of a man considered one of the 100 most influential people of the last century.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
14 July 2025
Noun
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This refreshingly smooth and complex lager is enhanced with a crisp, coastal quirk.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
18 July 2025
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Newer quirks have vexed Jeffrey Meli, now a clinical professor of finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business, who left the banking group Barclays after twenty years to study how reforms have distributed risk across the financial system.—
Mary Childs,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
Noun
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The exciting fossil first is also full of idiosyncrasies.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
16 July 2025
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Whereas Zev might use Jess’s attachment to her phone as an opportunity to tear her down, Felix gives her enough grace to see her idiosyncrasies as no better or worse than anyone else’s.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 July 2025
Noun
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But that’s about the extent of the debate, as few would be able to discern any noticeable eccentricities or downsides to the hybrid system from the driver’s seat.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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According to the researchers, Mars' significant orbital eccentricity, or deviation from a perfect circle, causes the atmosphere in the southern summer to circulate more energetically, creating conditions ideal for vortex formation.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
16 July 2025
Noun
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The United States has tried repeatedly to wean itself off immigrant employment, but cheap labor is a tough habit to kick.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
26 July 2025
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This formula/habit/trend does not typically occur across the pond, so shortening 'Edgware Road' to 'Edgware,' does pose an issue.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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