1
2
as in jails
British slang
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the blokes at the pub traded stories of nights spent in the nick after having lifted too many pints
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in steals
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
that lorry was a piece of rubbish, I don't know why anyone would want to nick it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrests
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
a petty thief who was always getting nicked for picking the pockets of tourists outside Buckingham Palace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nicks
Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
This waterproof trimmer is ergonomic, rechargeable, and built with SkinSafe blades that help reduce nicks.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
If your sponge has tears or nicks, that’s an automatic toss.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
The six-time All-Star is widely known for being injury-prone, so the Warriors can probably expect Butler to miss some time due to some nicks and bruises next season, at the very least.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
No nicks or bruises or paper cuts from flipping through his playbook.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
This waterproof trimmer is ergonomic, rechargeable, and built with SkinSafe blades that help reduce nicks.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
If your sponge has tears or nicks, that’s an automatic toss.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
The six-time All-Star is widely known for being injury-prone, so the Warriors can probably expect Butler to miss some time due to some nicks and bruises next season, at the very least.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
In the book, the protagonist Jonathan Harker nicks himself with a razor and senses Dracula’s rapt attention.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nicks
Noun
-
Experts point to restricted access to advanced chips and limited capital as lingering constraints.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
More recently, OpenAI announced a $10 billion deal with chipmaker Cerebras to deploy 750 megawatts of Cerebras' AI chips.—
Arjun Kharpal,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There have also been fewer inmate deaths in Tarrant County than in Dallas and Harris counties, although those county jails have more capacity — 7,552 beds in Dallas County and 10,466 beds in Harris County, the report shows.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
-
North Carolina legislators accurately portrayed a gap between how many people Immigration and Customs Enforcement picked up from Mecklenburg and Wake County jails through much of 2025.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Shop these standout steals and more below.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Though the 24-year-old star has only recently been thrust into the mainstream spotlight, Williams has played a wide variety of roles, from a depressed young man seeking approval from a lost friend to a humanoid chatbot who steals a woman from her husband.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The sheer scale of an estate for sale in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights neighborhood — a residence spanning 26,000 square feet, or the equivalent of 10 average homes — arrests the imagination.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Iraq's National Center for International Judicial Cooperation said 5,704 suspects from 61 countries who were affiliated with IS were transferred from prisons in Syria.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, says mounting media campaigns from federal prisons is hardly as simple as buying a ring light and pressing record.—
Andrew Zucker,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Continue reading … DARING DASH – Sneaky feline swipes a free snack — and it's caught on video.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Soon after, a desperate man named Boomba, who witnessed Ma stealing from the shelter, breaks into her home and swipes her food, her phone, and a purse containing her family’s invaluable travel documents.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Iran seizes 2 ships on smuggling claims DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, state television reported, claiming the vessels had been smuggling fuel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Leavitt turns the tables on media outrage as FBI seizes Fulton election documents.—
,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The wave of prison violence is happening despite the deployment of military and police forces in several penitentiaries.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
8 Dec. 2025
-
After his conviction, Gray was sent to Angola, one of the most violent penitentiaries in the country at the time.—
Richard A. Webster,
ProPublica,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nicks. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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