stickup

1 of 2

noun

stick·​up ˈstik-ˌəp How to pronounce stickup (audio)
Synonyms of stickupnext
: a robbery at gunpoint : holdup

stick up

2 of 2

verb

stuck up; sticking up; sticks up

intransitive verb

: to stand upright or on end : protrude
hair that sticks up

transitive verb

: to rob at gunpoint
see also:
stick up for

Examples of stickup in a Sentence

Noun He pulled out a gun and shouted, “This is a stickup!”.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The numbers showed an increase in stickups — if only on paper. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025 The amateurish stickup failed, fast. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Emilio stuck up for him and took the shoes, brand-new Jordans, right off his feet and gave them to the kid. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026 At that point, the misunderstandings of me being weird or nerdy or stuck up or whatever kind of just went away. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stickup

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1862, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of stickup was in the 15th century

Rhymes for stickup

See All Rhymes for stickup

Browse Nearby Words

stickum
stickup
stick up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stickup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stickup. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

stickup

1 of 2 noun
stick·​up ˈstik-ˌəp How to pronounce stickup (audio)
: a robbery at gunpoint : holdup

stick up

2 of 2 verb
ˈstik-ˈəp
1
: to stand upright or on end : protrude
2
: to rob at gunpoint

More from Merriam-Webster on stickup

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stickup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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