as in tricks
an odd or peculiar habit
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
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Recent Examples of tics
Weirdly brassy dye job aside, Clarke is impressively natural as Alex’s easy smiles and superficial charm give way to flop sweat and nervous tics.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 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
The verbal tics, unless handled, can have a devastating psychological effect.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
His verbal tics, over-the-top gestures, and knack for creating indelible moments are endearing to the public in a way that professional Democrats who devote their work lives to covering and fighting him could never understand.
—Isaac Schorr, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
It’s grown in stature for me, thanks to all of the tiny sonic tics and lyrical details that are revealed upon multiple listens.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 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
The verbal tics, unless handled, can have a devastating psychological effect.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
His verbal tics, over-the-top gestures, and knack for creating indelible moments are endearing to the public in a way that professional Democrats who devote their work lives to covering and fighting him could never understand.
—Isaac Schorr, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
It’s grown in stature for me, thanks to all of the tiny sonic tics and lyrical details that are revealed upon multiple listens.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tics
Noun
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Halloween’s history, from tricks to treats Halloween is rooted in the ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, marking the harvest and coming winter – and few know the shortcomings of the cold more than Minnesotans.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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Critic Dwight Macdonald later wrote that Keaton’s singular screen-in-screen transformation made similar tricks by Surrealist giants Dalí, Buñuel, and Cocteau timid by comparison.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The series begins with Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton, whose mannerisms and line deliveries are distractingly reminiscent of Eddie Redmayne) about to graduate law school.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Oct. 2025
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Both on and off the court, the freshman phenom has the mannerisms of a professional.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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 , Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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The defendant exhibited sadistic traits, Salter said.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An American traveler’s observations about everyday Italian home quirks have gone viral on TikTok.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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It’s been updated with a more convenient save system and 3D compatibility, eliminating some of the original game’s quirks.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As America’s capital of both wine production and pleasant weather, California has any number of towns that capture this experience, each with distinguishing characteristics that suit different types of travelers.—
Justin Goldman,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
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Sadly, the Volvo EX30 missed its moment to be great, but retains some appealing characteristics.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Part of the discrepancy may stem from a recent surge in resources supporting active duty troops’ eating and exercise habits.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Additionally, unlike the innermost 21 moons and moonlets of Saturn, the next three, Titan, Hyperion, and Iapetus, all have larger eccentricities to their orbits, and no one is certain as to why.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Oct. 2025
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Even the film’s eccentricities that do feel out of a Pynchon novel — notably Lockjaw’s desire to join a secret society of white supremacists called the Christmas Adventurers Club — read as plausible in the current political climate.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sprites is the very best idiosyncrasies of Britain that comedy and horror audiences around the world have loved so much since Monty Python.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
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The wonderfully ridiculous brainchild of co-stars/directors Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, the mockumentary follows a group of vampires living in an apartment in New Zealand and struggling with the idiosyncrasies of modern times.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tics. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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