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
Video-interview tools misread autistic communication, tics, or flat affect as a lack of interest or honesty.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
There, the feral irreverence that once made her alluring becomes inconvenient, and Lawrence plays a series of tics in search of a character.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Davidson, who people used to call ‘Fuck off John,’ does suffer from coprolalia, or involuntary swearing, but that just one of tics that are part of his condition.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
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
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
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
There, the feral irreverence that once made her alluring becomes inconvenient, and Lawrence plays a series of tics in search of a character.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Davidson, who people used to call ‘Fuck off John,’ does suffer from coprolalia, or involuntary swearing, but that just one of tics that are part of his condition.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tics
Noun
-
Our focus on our own ingroup makes our brains play tricks on us.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Just another one of his show-stopping tricks.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Part of the deal involves creating an AI version of Lame using his face, voice, and mannerisms.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In order to become a character at the parks, DeVore underwent a rigorous audition and training process in order to get the fairy's mannerisms down to a science.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Järnkrok is an undersized forward who doesn’t play with any physicality — not exactly traits generally prized by Berube.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
That was one of the traits that stood out to the Chicago White Sox.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
30 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
-
Those characteristics were likely part of Hamid’s makeup early on.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
What survivors have in common Those who survive the first two years and eventually thrive tend to share a few characteristics.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The researchers concluded prevention efforts should focus on improving lifestyle habits when spending more time awake at night.—
Dr. Joseph Wendt,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
For electric vehicles, AI will optimize battery health, charging behavior, and energy usage based on driving habits and environmental conditions.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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
-
Ake is initially hesitant to take her eccentricities to a more structured environment, but her fraught history with one recruit, 21-year-old Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta), changes her mind.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 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
Cite this Entry
“Tics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tics. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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