as in beating
failure to win a contest
our team took a licking last night, but we'll get them next time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in defeating
to achieve a victory over
he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of licking
Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
Some Whistle users still aren’t sold on the switch, though, because Tractive devices don’t have all the features that Whistle’s product line has, including the Health 2.0 Smart Device’s efforts to track pets’ licking, scratching, eating, drinking, and sleeping.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2025
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Which is what guides her, and her two siblings, to storm the event and take its guests hostage — while Tyler is in the bathroom, licking his wounds after his mic drop moment goes horribly viral.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for licking
Noun
Some people enjoy gentle licking or kissing here, while others respond to massage-like pressure.
—Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
Some Whistle users still aren’t sold on the switch, though, because Tractive devices don’t have all the features that Whistle’s product line has, including the Health 2.0 Smart Device’s efforts to track pets’ licking, scratching, eating, drinking, and sleeping.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2025
Verb
As the credits roll, audiences see several Hashiras navigating the creepy castle while licking their wounds.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Which is what guides her, and her two siblings, to storm the event and take its guests hostage — while Tyler is in the bathroom, licking his wounds after his mic drop moment goes horribly viral.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for licking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licking
Noun
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In a 31-14 beating of Dallas two weeks ago, Williams was not sacked for the first time in his career.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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You weren’t allowed to paint your culture, you weren’t allowed to dance, you weren’t allowed to cook your food, do your drum beating, any of that.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Here, a shopping mall serves as a safe haven from the undead pounding on the doors outside.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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The service itself pulsed with sound with horns blaring, drums pounding and voices rising in song.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Mariners reached this year’s ALCS off the back of the longest winner-takes-all playoff game in MLB history on Friday, dramatically defeating the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in a four-hour, 58-minute contest.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
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Alabama continued its rebound from a Week 1 loss by defeating Missouri.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Morrissey believes Mizzou will be able to compete with the Crimson Tide, unlike last year’s 34-0 shutout defeat on the road.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
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And when the intensity hovers, and the footsteps of defeat get closer, that’s when Gray cooks.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And inside the hedges was my tour photographer hiding in bushes that had not previously been there.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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In 2024, Machado’s candidacy was blocked, she was prevented from leaving the country, and she has been forced to live in hiding.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The other notable incident of the first half was one person overcoming the tight security measures to reach the pitch.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Leaper Williams, a Lawrence High graduate who started working at KU at 16, emerged as one of KU football’s most recognizable employees through the years, overcoming a development impairment due to anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain, at birth.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy sought the advice of doctors after dealing with severe memory loss and brain fog, reportedly leading to a scan of his brain that showed a dark spot in the imagery.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
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Following Sunday's loss, first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer defended Eberflus, saying the product on the field is a team effort.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While summer may be over, nothing is stopping you from whipping this thing out for the holiday season.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
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The wind was whipping this past week at McGrath Stadium, mist in the air.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Licking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licking. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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