1
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he's been kicking all week about not getting the promotion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in objects
to present an opposing opinion or argument
fiscal conservatives have already started to kick about the proposed program, claiming it will increase the state's deficit substantially
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in thrills
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings
I get a kick out of downhill skiing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in joys
a source of great satisfaction
it was a kick for the parents to see their once-shy son star in a Broadway play
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in objections
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent
nowadays there seem to be few words in the dictionary that do not raise a kick from one person or another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in collisions
a forceful coming together of two things
I felt a kick in my hands as the jackhammer came roaring to life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicks
Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
As the month unfolds, your curiosity kicks into high gear with Mars and Mercury moving through Aries and your third house of ideas.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
In the video, Mortensen films as Paul hits and kicks him.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The female security guard moves past the male security guard and kicks the young woman in the head.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
The band kicks things off in Mexico on March 15, and will hit Medellín, Barcelona, London, and Milan before coming back stateside.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Quiche is a classic Easter brunch dish, but this recipe kicks things up a notch with the addition of crispy hash browns, bacon, and bright asparagus.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
Ramona Girls soccer After the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead in sudden-death penalty kicks, the junior keeper blocked a University City shot to give Ramona the victory in the section Division 3 title game.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, Group C kicks of with Japan against Taiwan and Vietnam against India in Perth.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Cleveland Cavaliers pro-baller and Adidas are collaborating with the rapper's brand, The Marathon Clothing, with the release of the royal blue Harden Volume 10 kicks, according to a press release from Adidas.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Depends on the song or the genre, but Steely Dan has great kicks.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
After a barrage of punches, kicks, and throws—all set to a Limp Bizkit song—the 72-year-old flexes his muscles while flames shoot out around him.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
As spring break kicks into high gear, the federal government is reportedly considering closures of smaller airports.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Cordell Walker, a steely-eyed former Marine who dispensed Lone Star justice with roundhouse kicks and a decidedly old-school moral code.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
With his roundhouse kicks, tough-guy one-liners and a formidable moral compass, Chuck Norris delivered kick-ass heroes for years on screens large and small, cementing himself in pop culture back in the 1980s.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Bielle-Biarrey connected with grubber kicks by Ramos and Matthieu Jalibert to get France away to 14-5.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
Apple kicks vibe coding app out of App Store, escalating crackdown.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
As the month unfolds, your curiosity kicks into high gear with Mars and Mercury moving through Aries and your third house of ideas.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
In the video, Mortensen films as Paul hits and kicks him.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
The female security guard moves past the male security guard and kicks the young woman in the head.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
The band kicks things off in Mexico on March 15, and will hit Medellín, Barcelona, London, and Milan before coming back stateside.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
Quiche is a classic Easter brunch dish, but this recipe kicks things up a notch with the addition of crispy hash browns, bacon, and bright asparagus.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
Ramona Girls soccer After the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead in sudden-death penalty kicks, the junior keeper blocked a University City shot to give Ramona the victory in the section Division 3 title game.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, Group C kicks of with Japan against Taiwan and Vietnam against India in Perth.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Hundreds of students streamed through the cafeteria of Thurgood Marshall Elementary School on Thursday, showing off new kicks, books, and bright smiles.
—Megan Vaz, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Cleveland Cavaliers pro-baller and Adidas are collaborating with the rapper's brand, The Marathon Clothing, with the release of the royal blue Harden Volume 10 kicks, according to a press release from Adidas.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Depends on the song or the genre, but Steely Dan has great kicks.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
After a barrage of punches, kicks, and throws—all set to a Limp Bizkit song—the 72-year-old flexes his muscles while flames shoot out around him.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
As spring break kicks into high gear, the federal government is reportedly considering closures of smaller airports.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Cordell Walker, a steely-eyed former Marine who dispensed Lone Star justice with roundhouse kicks and a decidedly old-school moral code.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
With his roundhouse kicks, tough-guy one-liners and a formidable moral compass, Chuck Norris delivered kick-ass heroes for years on screens large and small, cementing himself in pop culture back in the 1980s.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Bielle-Biarrey connected with grubber kicks by Ramos and Matthieu Jalibert to get France away to 14-5.
—ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicks
Verb
-
At one point in the documentary, Suga, one of the group’s rappers, complains that there is too much English on the album.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Everyone complains about how expensive EVs are.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The space station circles our planet at an altitude referred to as low-Earth orbit, which is closer to Earth's atmosphere and allows the outpost to move more quickly around Earth than objects further out in space.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Congress is on a two-week recess, but the Senate and House could move to fund all of DHS except ICE and CBP as early as Thursday using a procedure known as unanimous consent that allows the chambers to circumvent formal voting as long as no member objects.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Keywords and concepts are linked to objects and ephemera, which are tagged and cross-referenced in a dense network that both thrills and confounds.—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In these sports-centric destinations, the thrills exist inside — and outside — the stadiums and arenas.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At home, the family still enjoys the simple joys of cooking.—
Jenna Thompson
March 27,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Among the best-selling books of all time (after the Bible, naturally), Harry Potter is a cultural touchpoint and lingua franca for tens of millions of readers worldwide — one that, for many of the attendees, served as their first introduction to the joys of reading.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Vulnerable, voiceless elders in Miami-Dade who are removed from their homes for their own good will likely wind up in the hands of an Adult Protective Services supervisor promoted to a position of unparalleled power despite the objections of family members and whistleblowing colleagues.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
More importantly, these objections assume a permanent ideological shift.—
Ravi Kumar S,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin appeared to get banged up from a series of collisions and was in obvious pain on the bench in the second.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Sadly, it’s estimated that more than 100 million to one billion birds die every year in collisions with manmade structures.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On these tracks Slayyyter uses her voice as a much blunter instrument than before, paring back the melisma and amping up the chants, barks, and outright screams.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Playful, candy-colored, and instantly recognizable, the print screams Y2K princess energy, with endless variations to match.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then that correction gets a correction from Andy, who protests that Lisa was really only a villain her last year of Housewives.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The 46-year-old attorney frequently protests at Broadview and also volunteers as a rapid responder, reporting on federal agents’ activities in neighborhoods.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicks. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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