LICKS Synonyms: 399 Similar and Opposite Words

licks 1 of 2

noun

plural of lick

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

Relevance

as in splashes

a very small amount the soup needs just a lick more of salt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in damns

the smallest amount or part imaginable you haven't done a lick of work all day

Synonyms & Similar Words

licks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lick

as in pounds

to strike repeatedly your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in masters

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 licks

Noun

Opening with the title track, feedback-heavy licks set the temperature as Dillom catches us up on the escapades of recent years. — Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026 Their eponymous debut features some tasty licks and haunting solos and should be an immediate listen for any fans of the genre. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Turay’s glassy guitar licks have a Metheny-ish tint to them, while Bemis opts to ride quick, slinky rhythms rather than abusing his crash cymbal. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 Zachary Stevenson’s performance replicates the nerdy-yet-hip Texan through impressive guitar licks and superb vocals that are equally comfortable with sweet ballads and on-the-edge rockabilly songs. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026 Elk, deer, and buffalo had migrated to and from mineral licks throughout North America for millennia. — Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 The footage, shared to social media, features Hagen's Shaggy picking up Scooby and getting a few licks on his face. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026 Albert Collins Known as The Master Of The Telecaster, Albert Collins was both blues legend and wild-eyed showman, picking out licks on his 1966 Custom Tele, usually in an open tuning, with a capo on the neck. — New Atlas, 30 May 2026 A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 22 May 2026

Verb

That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand. — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 June 2026 At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026 A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 22 May 2026 At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026 After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose. — Megan Sauer tasia Jensen, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026 Weir picked up his first guitar licks from David Nelson and future Jefferson Airplane member Jorma Kaukonen. — Richard Gehr, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for licks

Noun

The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Guevera also reportedly came to blows with Eddie Kingston in 2022, leading to Kingston’s suspension.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of blows

Noun

Built in a distinctively analog way, the rooms create the illusion of endless space through the use of light, mirrors and splashes of color.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
The company has built a reputation in the investment world for backing companies that have made big splashes, including Uber, Waymo and Discord.

— Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of splashes

Noun

Ranging from the sound of emergency sirens and birds screeching to low grunts and guttural hoots, their vocalizations reverberate from a sanctuary in the hot, dry hills of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.

— Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
With a few hoots and hollers, and even a couple clucks, the group took off on their ascent to the Betty Bear Hut.

— Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 30 July 2026

Definition of hoots

Verb

Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
Ukraine pounds Russia with long-range strikes At the same time, Ukraine has shifted the war onto Russian soil through long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused fuel shortages across Russia.

— Volodymyr Yurchuk, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of pounds

Verb

The real competitive advantage of the next decade will not belong to the CEO who masters every AI platform, but the CEO who consistently makes better decisions.

— Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

Definition of masters

Noun

Their swipes at one another have escalated so much that the sitting president has threatened to take away O’Donnell’s citizenship.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
With fewer options to switch lanes in the roundabout, there are fewer opportunities for unsafe lane changes to result in side-swipes.

— Rose Evans August 16, Idaho Statesman, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of swipes

Noun

While some of the color contrasts do articulate planar shifts, such as the candy-stripe lips (red for upper, pink for lower), many of the touches are arbitrary splotches that neither bolster a shape nor set another off.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
The vocalist and Orlando band After 5 perform original R&B and neo-soul with touches of jazz.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of touches

Verb

Dovile, who calmly accepts her parents’ divorce when it’s announced to her, lashes out in school by attacking a boy for calling Ukrainians Nazis.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
The best mascaras for older women help coat lashes with color while addressing the annoying issues that come with age.

— Micaela English, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of lashes

Browse Nearby Words

lickings

licks

lickspittle

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Style

“Licks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licks. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of licks

noun

verb

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