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
The frequency and severity of tics also change regularly, and can be in response to factors like stress, anxiety, excitement, fatigue, illness and more.
—
Esther Kang, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
The structural devices, aesthetic flourishes, and writing tics that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan crib — intentionally or otherwise — from Sorkin make the film a fascinating showcase for all of the latter’s screenwriting strengths and weaknesses.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
All three brothers have Tourette’s but none of them show any tics during the interview.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024
Naturally, the always Mary Katherine also had to share her signature tic with the VP: Shoving her hands under her armpits and then sniffing her fingers.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tic 
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Esther Kang, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
The structural devices, aesthetic flourishes, and writing tics that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan crib — intentionally or otherwise — from Sorkin make the film a fascinating showcase for all of the latter’s screenwriting strengths and weaknesses.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
All three brothers have Tourette’s but none of them show any tics during the interview.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024
Naturally, the always Mary Katherine also had to share her signature tic with the VP: Shoving her hands under her armpits and then sniffing her fingers.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tic
Dictionary Entries Near tic
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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