1
as in spice
the quality or state of being stimulating to the mind or senses
the barbecue sauce has a nip to it that balances out the sweetness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shred
a very small amount
I'll have just a nip of your sandwich
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
there's a nip in the air today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
I'm just going to nip these hedges, and then I'll be done with the work outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
that guy nipped my wallet from the restaurant table when I turned away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to hurry
to proceed or move quickly
I'll just nip off to the corner store for some milk
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 nip
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
13 May 2026
Leclerc still can’t steer right at full speed, so Verstappen nips ahead for good measure at the final corner.
—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Of course, Qualcomm is also at Computex, and its Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme could well be nipping at the N1X's heels before long.
—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nip
Noun
Nashville was a drink all night, crash into bed, then take a nip of the hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-you in the morning kind of place.
—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
13 May 2026
Leclerc still can’t steer right at full speed, so Verstappen nips ahead for good measure at the final corner.
—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
But Sweeney nipped that idea in the bud.
—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Of course, Qualcomm is also at Computex, and its Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme could well be nipping at the N1X's heels before long.
—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nip
Noun
-
The word entered English during British rule in India and was later extended to mean a hot alcoholic drink, especially one mixed with spirits, hot water, sugar, and spices.
-
Chili powder, cumin, and cayenne give it the signature chili spice (leave out the cayenne for a milder version) while Worcestershire and tomato sauce provide savoriness.
Noun
-
Their main flaw is that the protagonists rarely display a shred of agency or activity.
-
The rest of the band followed his lead, particularly Green, a relentless head-banger, dropping to her knees to become one with the feedback and leaning back into beatific shred-faces.
Noun
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Then anaplasmosis joined the fray, spreading fevers and chills of its own.
-
Lend a water bottle, a lawn chair, or a bag of Cape Cod chips to the person sitting next to you and remember to throw a sweatshirt in your Boat & Tote for that New England summer night chill.
Noun
-
The house old-fashioned can be made with bourbon or gin and is a much slower sip.
-
Inside at Revel Lounge, half the après crowd sips cocktails in robes and slippers while the other half have logged back on with work and are huddled away in the bar’s many discreet nooks and corners.
Verb
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The group — which Microsoft , Nvidia , Alphabet , Apple , Meta , Tesla and Amazon — shaved off roughly $2 trillion in market cap, as investors are starting to reassess the investing case for these once unbeatable mega-caps.
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Make sure to freshly shave your cheese for the best results to snack on mid-festivities.
Verb
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This particular segment featured a group including Maria Gorskikh of Maritime, Andrew Mead of Vector Lab and others, discussing how to move forward with OpenClaw, without getting pinched.
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With many families increasingly financially pinched, some are turning to credit cards and other forms of debt to cover daily expenses, which could also contribute to their pessimism about the economy, Hanks said.
Verb
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Zach Neto walked to begin the inning but got picked off at first base attempting to steal second.
-
Yamal is most likely your favorite player’s favorite player to watch, to steal a somewhat corny adage.
Verb
-
Locals and tourists hurried around the pavilions showcasing the best of each state and territory.
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But hurry, — the popular shade is selling out fast.
Video
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
We're gonna stop you right there
Cite this Entry
“Nip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nip. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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