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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
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.
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Recent Examples of licks
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
Eventually music theory discussion turned to actual licks.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
She was known to sneak butter from the fridge to enjoy a few finger licks.
—
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Miami got some good licks on Mendoza, bloodying his lip early on a shot from Jakobe Thomas that probably could have drawn a flag for targeting.
—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2026
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
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 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
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
Noun
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
Eventually music theory discussion turned to actual licks.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
She was known to sneak butter from the fridge to enjoy a few finger licks.
—
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Miami got some good licks on Mendoza, bloodying his lip early on a shot from Jakobe Thomas that probably could have drawn a flag for targeting.
—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licks
Noun
-
Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
-
Despite the blows to Eurovision’s finances and viewership from the boycott, the contest is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.
Noun
-
Many of the paintings include a portrait of a Pullman porter or a maid surrounded by splashes of color and fragments of archival documents — newspaper clippings, timesheets, employee records.
-
It’s even made from a water-resistant fabric to protect your gear from unexpected splashes or spills, keeping everything safe on the go.
Noun
-
Their hoots and hollers drowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explanation of how a title defense fell short.
-
Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site.
Verb
-
Back from a hamstring injury, Teoscar Hernández rejoins a relentless Dodgers offense that pounds 17 hits and three homers in a 9-4 win over the Athletics.
-
Teams go bonkers when the player pounds their school name on the bracket.
Verb
-
The industry is in the middle of a transition from copper interconnects to optical solutions, and the company that masters low-latency, high-bandwidth data movement holds a structural advantage.
-
Finally, Kim masters the steps and takes to the stage with confidence, as her family cheers her on!
Noun
-
Salicylic acid works deep within pores to tackle buildup, while lactic acid smooths rough texture and refines skin’s surface, leaving skin looking clearer and feeling smoother in just a few swipes.
-
But there were no swipes, obvious or subtle, at an ECB hierarchy he has been said to be at war with and there was a firm denial of a rift with McCullum, echoing the sentiments expressed by the England coach on Tuesday.
Noun
-
But Van Sant’s imaginative and deeply poignant retelling of Shakespeare’s Henry IV is a pleasure in its own right, its sweetness and gentle touches of surrealism coming together to form a heartbreaking ode to young love.
-
One of the most interesting design touches is the way the motor and battery pack have been integrated into the chassis.
Verb
-
Ukrainian officials have warned residents to guard against further strikes as Russia lashes out.
-
Continue reading … SEISMIC SUPPORT — AOC lashes out at Trump for 'betrayal' of voters after key SCOTUS immigration ruling.
Cite this Entry
“Licks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licks. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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