TIC Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

tic

noun

ˈtik

Definition of tic

as in trick

an odd or peculiar habit constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 But Lewis said justifying camera movements through human mannerisms and tics also made the drone the episode’s poignant exhale. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026 Unlike Tourette’s patients — whose initial tics are often very simple, such as blinking — some of these young people made complex movements. — Nebyou Belay, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Suppressing tics as treatment Suppressing tics can be distracting and exhausting, yet decades of research has shown that tic suppression can be strengthened and used therapeutically. — Michael Okun, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026 Somehow, Stan does, inhabiting the physicality and voice completely, turning up the volume on the Trumpian tics as the character ages. — Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic

Noun

Even at the album’s more sedate tempos, gyrofield still delivers the manic intensity that marks their best work, building luscious tension with an arsenal of top-shelf production tricks.

— Lisle Younger, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
Trader Joe’s focaccia, sliced and toasted, will do the trick, or their ciabatta, sliced into small squares.

— Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of trick

Noun

Another reveals a family trait or behavior that was unwittingly passed from generation to generation.

— Gary Barron, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Claude is destined to imitate these human traits and mirror the human examples provided to it, including acting like a colleague or friend.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of trait

Noun

The resulting denim is rigid, thick, durable, and functional—even suitable for motorcyclists—with each piece showcasing its own unique characteristics.

— Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 11 Nov. 2026
Not every patient is a candidate, and suitability depends on individual hair characteristics assessed in person.

— Burak Onal, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Noun

Blomstedt was impressed with Bernstein's musicianship but disliked his exuberant podium mannerisms.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
The system was trained for over a thousand hours on roughly six thousand images and frames of film and other media in order to replicate Dalí’s facial expressions, body movements, speech patterns, and mannerisms.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of mannerism

Noun

And also like the fat bears of Katmai, every bear here has their own habits and quirks.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
The majority have no chance of making it into the 120-seat Parliament — but a quirk of the Israeli election system ensures that even the most obscure contenders get their moment in the political limelight.

— Lia Lapidot Aaron Boxerman and Lia Lapidot, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of quirk

Noun

The play, about a prominent Black Chicago family headed by a civil rights icon with skeletons in his closet, has the scope, heft and flamboyant idiosyncrasy of the landmark American domestic dramas of the past.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
The idiosyncrasy to California’s film and TV tax credit program has been leveraged by competing states and foreign countries to coax productions into leaving.

— Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of idiosyncrasy

Noun

Experts share the habits and triggers to avoid, plus the remedies that could help alleviate a persistent hack following a respiratory infection.

— Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Deer also commonly abandon typical daytime habits and begin moving about in search of a mate, DEEP said.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of habit

Browse Nearby Words

tiaras

tic

tick

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“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of tic

noun

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