as in darting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
the horse's tail flicked in restless irritation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flicking
Older supporters will remember it well and, if anyone from the younger generation wants a glimpse into those times, perhaps a good place to start is by flicking through the pages of The Complete History Of Manchester City, written by football historian Gary James and published in 1997.
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Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
The reptile reacts to being picked up by flicking its meaty tail back and forth, whacking a few of the deputies.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
While a wagging dog’s tail might indicate excitement or friendliness, a flicking cat’s tail can signal irritation.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Only the paintings bore witness to her intense, solitary writing sessions, conducted in the studio by night, Stein flicking the pages of her notebooks with hardly a pause, until dawn birdsong disturbed her concentration.
—Francesca Wade, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
For the Taliban, the episode possibly carries the lesson that attempting to turn back time on a population that’s grown up with the internet is much harder than just flicking a switch.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flicking
Verb
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The headlights of the long-haul trucks illuminated Joshua trees and darting bats.—
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During early warm-ups for the Broncos-Chargers game, Dobbins spent over 30 minutes catching up with former Los Angeles teammates and coaches, darting over to the stands to sign a few autographs.—
Verb
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At ease everywhere from flitting free jazz to looser, funkier textures, Allen abides, insistent but never overbearing on a session well worth the wait.—
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That Cody Balmer avowed the Palestinian cause in his call to 911, despite no prior connection to it, fits the general pattern, since that’s what was flitting across his screens.—
Verb
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Consisting of wispy layers that create soft movement, akin to fluttering butterfly wings, the cut is a popular option for cascading long lengths.—
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Soft amber light illuminates gold jewelry, glossy lips, and brightly fabrics fluttering in the ocean breeze.—
Verb
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Large crowds of onlookers were treated to a performance of boxing and dancing on the show floor.—
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The images show vivid auroras dancing overhead and a fox below who seems far more interested in the photographer than the light show unfolding above.—
Cite this Entry
“Flicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flicking. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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