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
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
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
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
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
-
There is no one organizational system that fits every family and lifestyle, but there are some tips and tricks that help.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
-
So what are their go-to tricks for creating a space worth hibernating in?—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The technology will only get more polished, the mannerisms more finely calibrated, the over-all effect more persuasive.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Not just losing the height, but the mannerisms.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What traits, decisions, or misfortunes exceed a person’s jurisdiction?—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The new 2026 version refines those traits but adds a number of performance-enhancing design features.—
Basem Wasef,
Robb Report,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Though some of its '90s quirks may now feel a little passé, the WB fantasy show still stands as a feminist touchstone, breaking away from the 1992 film's damsel-in-distress trope to deliver a complex, empowered hero.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As such, its defining characteristics are mostly tactile rather than visual.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
But there are other factors that needled their way into the evolutionary development of dormancy characteristics.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Kight said some simple habits can help prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.—
Tina Patel,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Many of my clients still need to plan meals, track intake, work with a dietitian, build habits, and stay active to reach their goals.—
SELF Staff,
SELF,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
It was leased for him by his mother, one of the many eccentricities friends and former business associates described about the otherwise phantom-like man who was always on the cusp of a blockbuster that never quite materialized.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
One of the most polarizing of the dressing idiosyncrasies is texture.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
-
People joke about their quirks and idiosyncrasies.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tics. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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