1
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave the ball a solid lick with the bat
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in splashes
a very small amount
the soup needs just a lick more of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damns
the smallest amount or part imaginable
you haven't done a lick of work all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in pounds
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
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2
as in masters
to achieve a victory over
he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of licks
Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
While Kendrick and Drake were putting their pens to their limits, Metro fired up some software and got his licks in.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
On the title track, a handful of bass licks grow outward into a waiting drum beat.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Kershaw was on the winning end more often than not, but that didn’t mean the Giants didn’t also get in their licks.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
From bouncy dancehall riddims and hip-hop production inflections to tender country and western guitar licks, Treasure Self Love distills Iké’s wide range of childhood music into a succinct 11-track study of achieving wholeness by unflinchingly examining the darkest parts of your past.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
TikTok @evelynmmartin The dog jumps onto the grassy area, shakes his head with his whole body moving in excitement, and jumps up to greet Martin, showering her with licks and nuzzles before spinning excitedly in a circle.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Hopefully that was worth it — because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took his fair share of licks in the process.
—Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025
For that closing number, bassist Andy Bishop leaped down into the pit, while keyboardist Sevans Henderson and guitarists Zach Rishel and Drew Nix rocked out at full throttle, all of them letting their licks do most of the showboating.
—Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
When asked the question, the owl takes the lollipop and licks it three times before chomping down on its hard shell exterior and handing the stick back to the child.
—Moná Thomas, People.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Hart opted to rap his part, which delighted his ecstatic band-members, the reggae-rhythm providing a steady groove and allowing for Mayer and Anastasio to trade licks back-and-forth.
—Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Nashville's own Grace Bowers sat in with Molly Tuttle, Vince Gill and Peter Frampton trading licks from songs written long before the 18-year-old was born.
—Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
Sexy guitar licks and a groovy rhythm couple together to create a fiery, catchy tune.
—Verb
Everybody licks the big pink flesh wall.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for licks
Noun
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Coming out the second half the teams continued to trade blows, after the Rockets took a 32-30 lead Xaverian responded with a 15-5 run to end the quarter to take a 45-37 lead.—
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The Anteaters withstood an early jolt from Cal State Fullerton in their Big West Conference matchup, but came back with several blows of their own in an 86-64 win at Titan Gym.—
Noun
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Designed for high-performance durability, the IP65 water-resistant frames are crafted from lightweight TR90 material, ensuring a pressure-free fit that can withstand sweat and splashes.—
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Stanley 12-Ounce Stay-Hot Camp Mug A secure, press-to-fit lid ensures that this mug locks in your drink’s temperature and prevents splashes simultaneously.—
Verb
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Stylist Chrissy Rasmussen masters the layered medium-length look on clients.—
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Bette Davis masters a rare light comedy turn as Sherry's long-suffering secretary, with Jimmy Durante as a visitor from Broadway and Wizard of Oz (1939) good witch Billie Burke as the overwhelmed matriarch of the Stanley clan.—
Noun
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Her 335 career steals trail only the 346 swipes that Linda Waggoner recorded from 1976-80.—
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Wipe in circular motions with a lint-free microfiber cloth to loosen grime, then finish with long, horizontal swipes.—
Noun
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The rooms Rooms in the Contemporary’s main tower were recently refurbished to feature touches from Disney’s The Incredibles franchise, which reflects the hotel’s midcentury theme.—
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Yet these touches are never extreme or imaginative or entertaining enough to match, say, the wild ride that was The Hunting Wives.—
Noun
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Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals.—
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There are hoots and hollers from raucous tourists on Bourbon Street, for example.—
Verb
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After her mani-pedi was complete, and the beautician had given her a coffee per usual, the pair were going to move on to brows and lashes when the woman asked to use the bathroom.—
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In a scene based on a real incident that crystallized some of the public’s reaction to Bardot at the time, a cleaning lady lashes out at the star’s character in an elevator, angry over her promiscuity while the maid’s brother is fighting in the Algerian War.—
Cite this Entry
“Licks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licks. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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