How to Use nip in a Sentence

nip

1 of 2 verb
  • It should have been nipped in the bud there.
    — Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
  • But Sweeney nipped that idea in the bud.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 1 June 2026
  • The only way to nip this in the bud is to be direct.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Schiff led for much of last year with Porter nipping at his heels.
    — Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
  • But a pivotal Supreme Court case nipped it in the bud.
    — Tim Balk Danny Hakim Michelle Litvin Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 10 May 2026
  • But Loyola is nipping at their heels.
    — Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 4 May 2026
  • Mosquitoes got in and nipped at their ankles and wrists, some said.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
  • Be right back, just nipping to the hospital to ask about these hives.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Why weren’t these unsavory tactics nipped in the bud?
    — Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Charlton sub-par round nipped Fairhope’s Tripp Duke by one stroke.
    — al, 26 Jan. 2023
  • To me, the best idea was to nip it in the bud and have this formula for everything.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2021
  • Most folk nostrums are bunk, but zinc gluconate lozenges really can nip a cold in the bud.
    — Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 24 June 2021
  • And a fierce competitor is nipping at the agency’s heels.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Two bedrooms on the top floor each have a private bath, and two more nipped down in the basement share a hall bath.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Elsewhere, a glass of orange juice propped on the side of an easel seemed to hint at an artist who just nipped out for a break.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Cats might nip at you, known as love bites, to express their affection, share their emotion and bond.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
  • The president and his team did their best to nip the Epstein story in the bud.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • As horses nipped at bags of hay, families ate and the children danced to live music.
    — Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Elsewhere, there’s a large kitchen, a game room, and, nipped away on the garden level, staffing quarters.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2023
  • Knowing what signs to look for can help nip the issue in the bud and keep your plants happy, healthy, and thriving.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
  • This strategy should nip the outbreaks in the bud, says Grassly.
    — Heidi Ledford, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2022
  • Over time, the dog, who lunged and nipped at him at first, started to approach Rotunda.
    — Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023
  • Tiafoe nipped Alcaraz in a tiebreaker in 2024.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Dec. 2025
  • Lately, though, that breakdown of trust has started nipping at Wikipedia’s heels.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Darby hit a Scorpion Death Drop and nipped up to his feet.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • Those with a wristband were permitted to nip out of the line for refreshment and comfort breaks.
    — Max Colchester, WSJ, 15 Sep. 2022
  • To pinch a plant, remove the growing tip of a stem by nipping it between your thumb and forefinger.
    — Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2023
  • With the mosquitofish anxious and scared, the tadpoles ventured out more without fearing that the fish would nip at their tails.
    — Rasha Aridi, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Dec. 2021
  • Those teams will battle for NFC supremacy while others nip at their heels.
    — Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Undeterred, the swan spends the video chasing Walters and trying to nip the man.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 31 May 2021

nip

2 of 2 noun
  • Feel free to layer this white one over a long sleeve top when there's a bit of a nip in the air.
    — Raena Loper, Good Housekeeping, 22 Apr. 2022
  • But slipping a nip is putting it lightly — her entire boob was out.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
  • Whimsy also loves chasing the laser toy, cat nip toys, and bird wand toys.
    — The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 26 Aug. 2023
  • The heat in the dish is slow, and subtle, gently taking the nip out of the air.
    — Mara Severin, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Feb. 2021
  • Avon Lake entrepreneurs opened many such speakeasies, inviting friends for a nip or two.
    — Linda Gandee, cleveland, 10 Oct. 2022
  • Try coffee with powdered fresh mint and cocoa, and maybe a nip of brandy to turn it up a notch.
    — Sharyn Jackson, Star Tribune, 13 Jan. 2021
  • There will be a bit of a nip in the air for the first full October weekend.
    — Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2022
  • The massive stock of mini, nip-sized liquor bottles behind the bar?
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 10 Nov. 2025
  • If a herding dog is herding your kids, that might lead to a nip, Bisher says.
    — Jennifer Aldrich, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 May 2021
  • Her story about not wanting to flash her nips at the then–Prince of Wales is choice.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Chelsea, a town just north of Boston, banned the sale of nips in 2018.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Her double breasted jacket was perfect for a little nip in the air.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2023
  • Before bed, nip into Manny’s bar for a nightcap.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Let’s nip this in the bud before every agency has a line item for twice the necessary labor cost.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
  • There were seven empty nip bottles — vodka.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Nashville was a drink all night, crash into bed, then take a nip of the hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-you in the morning kind of place.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2026
  • Attempts to pass statewide bans on nips in Maine and Rhode Island failed in recent years.
    — Jenna Russell Kieran Kesner, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023
  • The leaves are changing color and there's a nip in the air that signals autumn has finally arrived.
    — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2020
  • Leclerc still can’t steer right at full speed, so Verstappen nips ahead for good measure at the final corner.
    — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • Similarly, small nips or nibbling can be part of grooming and your cat could just be trying to spiff you up a little.
    — Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2023
  • Florence also chose a peek-a-boo look for last year's Valentino show, opting for a hot pink sheer tulle gown that freed the nip.
    — Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 7 Mar. 2023
  • Metzner argues banning nips could solve issues within a town.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
  • While dog lovers cherish their pets’ affection, their licks and nips can potentially spread harmful germs.
    — Rebecca Carballo, New York Times, 21 Oct. 2023
  • Dozens of people testified in support of the bill, which would have allowed a town’s legislative body to ban the sale of nips.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
  • This tiny manuscript shows that the paranormal nips at the heels of her most famous work, Jane Eyre.
    — V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Oct. 2023
  • Jacobs had just undergone a deep-plane facelift, which is thoroughly different from the run-of-the-mill nip-and-tuck job.
    — Ahmed Zambarakji, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2021
  • But some of the richest and most varied outfit ideas around nip-and-tuck trousers lately have been spotted on the streets during fashion month.
    — Alison Syrett Cleary, InStyle, 18 Jan. 2026
  • October brings not only fall colors, but also a refreshing nip to the air, great for hiking.
    — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 21 June 2026
  • While our personal faves are the natural nips, the brand also offers smooth nipple covers.
    — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025
  • Wilkinson is accused of reacting to the nip by duct-taping Habs’s muzzle shut and binding his front and hind legs.
    — Washington Post, 2 May 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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