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1
: local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : twitching
2
: a frequent usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech
"you know" is a verbal tic
Synonyms
Examples of tic in a Sentence
The verbal tic “you know” often occurs in her speech.
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
Recent Examples on the Web
Beau also experiences tics, anxiety, depression, rage, OCD, and sleep disorders.
—TIME, 16 May 2024
These lines are both nervous tics and statements of blithe confidence.
—Phillip MacIak, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
All comedians have tics and crutches, even the very good ones who aim to generate moments that feel spontaneous and true in lieu of repeating an act that’s grown stale.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Our eye is always steered away from what’s in front of us or trained to look for unusual tics or subtle responses.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024
The tics typically begin to manifest between the ages of 2 and 15, and males are three to four times more likely to develop the disorder than females.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024
Gyllenhaal never resorts to obvious tells or tics to differentiate the characters — their subtly distinct dispositions are more than enough to make the difference clear —and they're both fully realized roles in their own right.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
An Arizona mother said her 7-year-old developed severe tics, a problem one French study has tied to the drug.
—Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2024
Memories resurface as tics, gestures, obsessions—the condensations of meaning that Freud called neurotic symptoms.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French
First Known Use
circa 1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing tic
Dictionary Entries Near tic
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
tic
noun1
: a regularly repeated twitching movement of a particular muscle and especially one of the face
2
: a particular form of behavior or speech that is often repeated
"you know" is a verbal tic
More from Merriam-Webster on tic
Nglish: Translation of tic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tic
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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