as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
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 tic
According to the Cleveland Clinic, PANDAS, or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections, refers to a group of symptoms — such as tics and obsessive-compulsive behavior — that is thought to affect kids who've had strep infections.
—
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tic
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for tic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic
Noun
-
So much grunt routes through a trick all-wheel-drive system that actually uses a two-speed gearbox ahead of the engine between the front wheels, in addition to a more traditional eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle routing power to the rears.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Our mother figures and friends can serve as the best sources of inspiration for beauty tips and tricks, thanks to many years of trial and error.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Hiring the same team is becoming a Baillie trait (they re-hired the same architect for the Southern Ocean Lodge rebuild), so for Huka Lodge, Virginia Fisher, the interior designer behind the 1984 renovation, was enlisted 40 years later.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Scientists continue to attempt to take snapshots of this primordial soup to understand the characteristics of quark-gluon plasma.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Rho-alpha differentiates itself through three characteristics.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Kusher is perfectly cast in the role, mirroring the mannerisms and obsessions of our real-life trillionaires and billionaires.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Ramírez said that even his mannerisms, which had changed from years up north, quickly identified him as an outsider.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Your quirks, your opinions, your specific way of seeing the world, that's your competitive advantage.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The show is equally witty about the quirks of the 21st century movie business.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The guide recommended giving her some fun idiosyncrasies.—
Amogh Dimri,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
But while his own work is marked by coincidences and unexpected bookends, some provided by the universe and some engineered by the filmmaker, at its core, it’s defined by an unswerving faith in the boundless eccentricities and fascinating fixations of other people.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In astrology, Aquarius is often celebrated for its eccentricity and offbeat charm.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many forward-thinking organizations provide high-quality gear to encourage healthy habits, such as the Owala FreeSip that was a top trending item in 2025.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
And your 30s is an especially apt time to develop healthy habits.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
