1
as in spice
the quality or state of being stimulating to the mind or senses
the barbecue sauce has a nip to it that balances out the sweetness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shred
a very small amount
I'll have just a nip of your sandwich
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
there's a nip in the air today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument
I'm just going to nip these hedges, and then I'll be done with the work outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
that guy nipped my wallet from the restaurant table when I turned away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to hurry
to proceed or move quickly
I'll just nip off to the corner store for some milk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nip
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
And bought a morning paper, which neither of us read;
John Cameron Mitchell, actor
Exhaustion nips at the heels of delight; the ferries and subways never stop running.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Addison Suriano Eastlake Softball The junior threw 226 pitches, fanning 14, as the Titans nipped Christian 2-1 in 12 innings to capture the SoCal Division 2 championship.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Noun
The dress design is ideal for spotlighting the waistline because of the nip in the middle section of the body.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
And bought a morning paper, which neither of us read;
John Cameron Mitchell, actor
Exhaustion nips at the heels of delight; the ferries and subways never stop running.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
The final round of the 2025 Travelers Championship takes place on Sunday with three golfers battling it out, and the rest of the field nipping at their heels, setting up for what should be a thrilling final round of play.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Addison Suriano Eastlake Softball The junior threw 226 pitches, fanning 14, as the Titans nipped Christian 2-1 in 12 innings to capture the SoCal Division 2 championship.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nip
Verb
-
July 22 could end up being the shortest of 2025, with Earth's rotation shaving off about 1.34 milliseconds from the usual 86,400 seconds.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
-
July 9 was the first of three days in which a millisecond or more could be shaved off the clock on account of how the moon's position relative to Earth is influencing our planet's rotation.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
One way to make tall varieties, which grow up to 4 feet, produce shorter, bushier plants is to pinch them back regularly.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
-
As childhood photos of the guys scrolled by, Richardson choked up missing some opening lyrics and Littrell pinched the bridge of his nose to prevent tears.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Police are investigating after suitcases containing hard drives with unreleased Beyoncé music were stolen from her team’s rental car ahead of her tour stop in Atlanta.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
-
However, the location of the guitar has remained a mystery since September 1971, having been reportedly stolen during the band’s recording sessions for 1972’s Exile on Main St. at Villa Nellcôte on France’s Côte d’Azur.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Archer’s first delivery, timed at 87.4mph, hurried the left-handed Jaiswal.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
The scene from election night On June 24, the night of the most recent meeting, members hurried into the Picnic House to hear the results of the votes.—
Vanessa Romo,
NPR,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Jeannie C. Riley, Connie Smith and the duo of Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery were among the acts who cut her songs.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
22 July 2025
-
The National Endowment for the Humanities cut the grant this spring.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
And believe it or not, plenty are genuinely comfortable, holding their own against traditional footwear.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
15 July 2025
-
Premieres will be held Thursday, January 22, to Tuesday, January 27, where audiences will see films, episodic projects, and more for the first time, with additional showings throughout the entire Festival.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
And bonus points if Friedman and Gomes swipe someone either the Padres’ A.J. Preller or the Giants’ Buster Posey, or both, are pursuing.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
14 July 2025
-
Grabbing the iPad, Rowin taps here and swipes there.—
Scott Craven,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Many organizations rush to implement tech without considering the impact on employee workflows, morale or training needs.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Neighbors quickly rushed to action, grabbing hoses and axes to help extract the plane’s passengers.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Video
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
We're gonna stop you right there
Cite this Entry
“Nip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nip. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share