1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the ball a solid lick with the bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in splash
a very small amount
the soup needs just a lick more of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
you haven't done a lick of work all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to hide
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to master
to achieve a victory over
he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 lick
Jen Juneau, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The tacky-meter reaches new heights when Brit presents the Housewives (of course no one else got gift bags) some of her shapewear in sad cardboard boxes without a lick of tissue paper or even a measly bow.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 26 May 2025
Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett is licking his chops, too.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lick
Noun
Zegler's video appeared to be taken from home, as her dog was even spotted near the end of the footage, coming in to snuggle up to its owner and give her face a few licks.
—Jen Juneau, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The tacky-meter reaches new heights when Brit presents the Housewives (of course no one else got gift bags) some of her shapewear in sad cardboard boxes without a lick of tissue paper or even a measly bow.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 26 May 2025
Verb
The New Arms Race: RegTech at Scale RegTech vendors are licking their chops.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett is licking his chops, too.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lick
Noun
-
Pang’s departure is a blow to Apple’s AI ambitions and comes amid internal scrutiny of its AI strategy, which has so far failed to match the capabilities fielded by rival tech companies, leaving Apple dependent on third-party AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 July 2025
-
In a quiet, devastating moment, Dream kills his son with a single blow.—
Aya Al-Hakim,
People.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
There’s also a splash pad and playground for the kids.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
-
Enjoy playscapes, a swimming pool, splash pads for the kids, sports fields Dillon Stadium and historic buildings.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
And as far as luxurious treats go, well, the afternoon high tea there is not to be missed, and the theme changing monthly offers the strongest argument yet to treat oneself ad infinitum without giving a tinker’s damn about the current economy.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2025
-
Since the death of Tom Petty meant an end to his primary job in 2017, Tench has still been visible in the background as a member of the house band in practically any tribute show that’s worth a damn.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Instead, Boyd said, Lawson and his father were retrieving a car that had been taken from them earlier the night of the disappearance and hidden at a residence on Boston Road, which is north of Bluegrass Parkway.—
Killian Baarlaer,
The Courier-Journal,
8 July 2025
-
The green laser shows you where dust might be hiding on your floors, and the LCD screen will tell you about the particle sizes down to the micron.—
Nena Farrell,
Wired News,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Rather than trying to master multiple AI platforms, teachers can start with one tool and thoroughly explore its capabilities.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
After a spa treatment or a dip in the ocean, guests can learn how to string fragrant plumeria leis or master the art of hula in open-air pavilions.—
John Wogan,
Travel + Leisure,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Those embarrassing losses with ownership sitting in the expensive seats were a big-time slap in the face to the decision makers.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
The number of girl slaps exchanged between the governor and Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez over the state budget impasse.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
To date, despite all these ideas, there hasn’t been a single shred of solid evidence for the existence of axions, which naturally drops them down a peg or two on the credibility scale.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2025
-
Zoé | 2024 | Canada | Rémi St-Michel | Midwest Premiere | The remaining shreds of Zoe’s mind desperately cling to her vague memories of better feelings.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
After 40 minutes, his energy hasn’t flagged a whit.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
2 July 2025
-
Nevertheless, the basic design of commercial nuclear power reactors has changed not a whit.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 July 2010
Cite this Entry
“Lick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lick. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share