as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tic
Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.
—
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson has coprolalia, where one’s involuntary tics are offensive and inappropriate.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
About 10% to 20% of people with Tourette syndrome experience this type of tic.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tic
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson has coprolalia, where one’s involuntary tics are offensive and inappropriate.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
About 10% to 20% of people with Tourette syndrome experience this type of tic.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic
Noun
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Old dog learns new tricks UConn forward Alex Karaban, who played on the 2023 and ’24 champions, is attempting to become the first non-UCLA player to win three national championships.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Iran’s military said Saturday that Iraq would be exempt from shipping restrictions in the trait, opening the potential of as much as 3 million barrels a day of Iraqi oil cargoes.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
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The cooperative birth behavior may reflect ancient evolutionary traits in toothed whales — and evidence of complex social cooperation beyond primates.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The interface of the desktop website version includes key mission milestones and characteristics about the moon, including information about landing sites during the Apollo era.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Hegseth exhibits those characteristics, and our soldiers finally have someone to follow.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The interactive Olaf can speak and engage in conversations, and his mannerisms and characteristics are spot on.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2026
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Nor does Thomas, with all his erudition and vatic mannerisms, manage to have with his son anything close to the loving, reciprocal relationship that Max has with Emmie.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The finding provides a long‑sought explanation for a bizarre quirk in the parasite’s biology that has confounded scientists for 40 years.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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But my biggest quirk was my obsession with music.—
Des Moines Register,
Des Moines Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An analysis of the previous plans by the New York Times pointed out some idiosyncrasies in the design, among them, that its grand staircase didn't lead to the ballroom and there was no door on the side facing the staircase.—
Arden Farhi,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The post of deputy mayor of public safety has consistently experienced high turnover, and with every transition comes a shift in strategy (driven by ego, politics and personal idiosyncrasy).—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Rocketship wouldn’t return to their original sound until 2006’s Here Comes… Rocketship, and by then the spark of young love had faded, replaced by production experimentation and characteristic eccentricity.—
David Glickman,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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In addition to Dougie, Rockin’ Grandma’s employees all have their eccentricities.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Hosta’s spreading habit complements the elegant, upright shape of hydrangeas.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cox expects gas prices will need to be inflated for six months or more for any notable increase in consumer buying habits for EVs, officials said during a call on March 25.—
Sam Meredith,Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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