as in beating
failure to win a contest
our team took a licking last night, but we'll get them next time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in defeating
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 licking
Chandler Boese, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Predictably, Korda took a licking.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Messi’s complaints were wafer-thin after a 3-0 licking by LAFC, but that didn’t stop him from venting hard in this video captured by a Mexican journalist after the final whistle.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for licking
Noun
At one point, Teddy’s hair had gotten so matted from the frequent licking that the vet had to partially sedate him and shear away most of his fur.
—Chandler Boese, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Predictably, Korda took a licking.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Messi’s complaints were wafer-thin after a 3-0 licking by LAFC, but that didn’t stop him from venting hard in this video captured by a Mexican journalist after the final whistle.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for licking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licking
Noun
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During pregame warmups David Beckham and the Mas brothers walked toward the end-zone where all the most rabid fans do the flag-waving and drum-beating and raised their hands to applaud the cheering fans.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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The Dodgers scored five times in the first two innings – four on two doubles by Freddie Freeman – and went on to hand the Washington Nationals another beating, 10-5, on Saturday at Nationals Park.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That didn’t stop Uthmeier from chest-pounding across social-media platforms.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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That is when Peralta started pounding the rookie inside.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Austin Hays also hit a three-run home run for the Sox, who collected their first win of the season by defeating the Miami Marlins 9-4 in front of 6,515 at loanDepot park.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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New York looked terrific, allowing just a single run over three games, defeating the Giants 7-0, 3-0, and 3-1.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jaquez had the best performance off the Heat’s bench, finishing the defeat with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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There is no defeat quite like sitting down for a gaming session after a 10-hour workday, hoping to get your woes out by winning some battles, but your ancient monitor decides to act up.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Under her tenure, the Department has lost centuries of professional experience, willfully violated federal law and judicial orders alike, while at the same time, hiding millions of documents linked to the Epstein files in a massive cover-up.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
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Grass lines in 8 to 15 feet of water make a perfect location for ambushing their prey and hiding from other predatory fish like muskies.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That would involve changing some state laws, persuading housing lenders to be more accommodating and overcoming resistance from construction unions.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
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There is power in prevention, which makes overcoming these obstacles crucial.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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No matter the result, Curry is back and healthy at long last for the Warriors after a right knee injury, and everyone at Chase Center celebrated right along with him in Golden State's 117-116 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Senior Devon Blair will be the top starter for the Vikings and finished with a 16-strikeout contest in a tough loss to Northbridge in the postseason.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Like Apollo 13, Artemis II will take advantage of the moon’s and Earth’s gravity, making a figure 8 after whipping around the moon to head home in what’s known as a free-return trajectory requiring little if any fuel.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Like Apollo 13, Artemis II will take advantage of the moon and Earth’s gravity, making a figure eight after whipping around the moon to head home in what’s known as a free-return trajectory requiring little if any fuel.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Licking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licking. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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