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
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Predictably, Korda took a licking.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Both have walked away from battles licking their wounds.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for licking
Noun
The clacking of mouth-swab petrie dishes as they’re loaded into boxes for shipping, the line-by-line licking of complimentary doughnuts at the front desk.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Predictably, Korda took a licking.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
Your table will be licking their fingers.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Both have walked away from battles licking their wounds.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for licking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licking
Noun
-
Perhaps repair some divots on a court that took a beating Saturday night.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
-
Each day, they are filled with one-dimensional stories of beatings, stabbing and shootings — all sad accounts of a city in decline.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
JWords takes a different tack on Sound Therapy, embracing gentle synth melodies and pads that take the edge off her skittering drums and pounding basslines.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
-
Apple Bank of America said Apple remains a table-pounding buy.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
La Catalina had her first match in AAA, defeating Jessy Jackson.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
In the process of winning 14 straight division championships from 1991-2005, Cox appeared in four other World Series, losing to Gillick’s Blue Jays in 1992 and the Yankees in 1996 and ’99 but defeating the Indians in 1995.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
All season long, the Wolves have relied on their resilience to bounce back from embarrassing defeats.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak for the pinstripers.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Talley was found hiding under a porch and arrested for the second time that day.—
Michael Tobin,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
One of the United States’ largest fisheries is hiding in plain sight.—
Matthew Robertson,
The Conversation,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The author is an entrepreneur and working on a book about overcoming betrayal.—
Emily Bryn Williams,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Two years ago, Romeo and her family celebrated her evolution as a performer after overcoming previous struggles.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The day after that loss, per team sources, Brunson approached the team before practice about needing to re-shift the collective mindset.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
The Aces, who were coming off a 33-point blowout opening day loss to Phoenix on Saturday, scored 33 of their points in the third quarter and that’s when the wheels fell off for the Sparks.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
It was delivered by the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, whose torso uncorked in a fit of frustration that sent his right elbow whipping toward Reid’s windpipe like a torpedo bat flying through the strike zone.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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That abundance of tall buildings also contributes to the city’s famous wind, which was really whipping all four days of our visit.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Licking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licking. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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