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
Once Ida is revived, Buckley is rife with tics and guttural asides, switching between rat-a-tat mobster slang and Shelley’s flowery English prose like some postmodern literary Gollum.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
In the mid-2010s, Young Thug borrowed from Future’s melodic blueprint, only for Future to co-opt Thug’s avant-garde vocal tics to get even weirder in his own right.
—Serge Selenou, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson has coprolalia, where one’s involuntary tics are offensive and inappropriate.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2026
In stressful situations, such as attending a high-stakes awards show, for example, tics can intensify; Davidson made other outbursts throughout the ceremony, and eventually decided to remove himself to a private screening room.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
These tics are often associated with more severe symptoms overall, more co-occurring conditions and greater social difficulty.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
In the mid-2010s, Young Thug borrowed from Future’s melodic blueprint, only for Future to co-opt Thug’s avant-garde vocal tics to get even weirder in his own right.
—Serge Selenou, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson has coprolalia, where one’s involuntary tics are offensive and inappropriate.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2026
In stressful situations, such as attending a high-stakes awards show, for example, tics can intensify; Davidson made other outbursts throughout the ceremony, and eventually decided to remove himself to a private screening room.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
These tics are often associated with more severe symptoms overall, more co-occurring conditions and greater social difficulty.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tics
Noun
-
Other royals allegedly have their own tricks—like Princess Kate, who’s said to use a clutch bag to avoid endless handshakes.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
-
One of my best tricks of the trade?—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Same voice, same mannerisms, next.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The diversity of their speech patterns and physical mannerisms showed the breadth of the spectrum.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The competing hypotheses, which seek to identify common traits between Little Foot and any of these species, highlight why the fossil continues to be such a rich resource of information that could contain clues to human evolution.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
This late in the draft, the Colts — like pretty much every team — are swinging on traits.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For the sufferer, however, the illness is lived as a singular nexus between culture, temperament, circumstance, and the body’s quirks.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Come for the obvious hooks, stay for the more subtle quirks.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The motion to disqualify Robinson, at this point an allegation, touches upon one of the defining characteristics of the Supreme Court — that discussions among judges when deliberating over decisions are confidential.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Every building has distinguishing characteristics.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Jupiter Direct emphasizes the value of consistent, small habits, rather than momentary, flash-in-the-pan type efforts.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
At the same gas station, Republican-leaning Tyler Nepple, 23, said the price of gas for his Toyota Tacoma may shape his vote in the midterm elections this fall but won't change his driving habits.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Built in 1940 by architect Gerard Colcord, the home underwent a three-year renovation that preserved its bones while editing out the eccentricities left behind by former owners—including Cage’s tarantula room and Martin’s personal performance stage, as well as his outdoor pony corral.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
7 Mar. 2026
-
That would be a perfectly reasonable offer from a for-profit real-estate company; a local operator would likely be helpful as a foreign entity attempts to deal with the eccentricities of the New York regulatory environment.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The idiosyncrasies Holtz brought to Notre Dame stuck with players and coaches who entered his orbit.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Everyone’s hearts are closer to the surface than usual, so being tolerant of one another’s idiosyncrasies could be necessary to avoid strife.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tics. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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