1
a
: a small notch, groove, or chip
For one thing, formal chairs, beds and tables require greater vigilance on the part of the owners to protect against nicks and spills.—
Sarah Collins
Sarah Collins
b
: a small cut or wound
got a few nicks from shaving
c
: a break in one strand of two-stranded DNA caused by a missing phosphodiester bond
2
: a final critical moment
in the nick of time
3
British, informal
: prison
also
: police station
… he said to me, "And how was it in the nick? Did they beat you in there at all?" —Colin MacInnes
Colin MacInnes 4
British, informal
: condition
in good nick
nicked; nicking; nicks
1
: to jot down : record
2
b
: to cut into or wound slightly
nicked himself shaving
I didn't have time to get my glove up, and the ball nicked my ear as it went past me.—Steve Wulf
Steve Wulf3
: to cut short
… cold weather, which nicked steel and automobile output …—Time
Time4
: to catch at the right point or time
5
: cheat, overcharge
"A cry of anguish ascended to high heavens," reported Business Week in 1933, "when millions of white-collar workers discovered that they had been nicked for a considerable percentage of their earnings when J. P. Morgan and partners had paid no income tax at all."—Cynthia Crossen
Cynthia Crossen6
a
British slang
: arrest
The new owner, my brother, had installed all the window grilles and had them wired on a direct alarm to the police station so that if anyone tried to enter that way they would be nicked.—Dick Francis
Dick Francis
b
British slang
: steal
… having your coat nicked is deeply annoying …—Sam Leith
Sam Leith1
: to make petty attacks : snipe
2
: to complement one another genetically and produce superior offspring
Examples of nick in a Sentence
Noun
There are a couple of nicks on the painting.
His face was covered with nicks and cuts after shaving.
She spent a night in the nick.
an economy in bad nick
Verb
He was nicked on the shoulder by a bullet.
She was nicked for the theft.
I nicked a couple of cars when I was younger.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
When the Ghoul saves Lucy from being turned into a zombie by her dad, the surprise of his nick-of-time arrival is undercut by the scene being split in half.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Morning glory and sweet pea seeds, for example, germinate best when nicked with a nail clipper, just enough to break the seed coat so moisture can enter more easily.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nick
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.
Noun
One of the strengths of butcher block is its ability to withstand everyday wear, even the occasional nick from a knife.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
When the Ghoul saves Lucy from being turned into a zombie by her dad, the surprise of his nick-of-time arrival is undercut by the scene being split in half.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
Conor Gallagher nicked the ball and burst down the right.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Morning glory and sweet pea seeds, for example, germinate best when nicked with a nail clipper, just enough to break the seed coat so moisture can enter more easily.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nick
Cite this Entry
“Nick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nick. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nick
1 of 2 noun1
: a small groove : notch
2
: chip entry 1 sense 4
a nick in a cup
3
: the last moment at which the result of an event can be changed
arrived in the nick of time
nick
2 of 2 verb1
: to make a nick in
2
: to wound or cut slightly
nicked himself shaving
Medical Definition
nick
1 of 2 noun
: a break in one strand of two-stranded DNA caused by a missing phosphodiester bond
nick
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to produce a nick in (DNA)
circular DNA that has been nicked and closed
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
