as in splashes
a very small amount
I'll have just a nip of your sandwich
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shaves
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 steals
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 rushes
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.
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Recent Examples of nips
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
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
Chief among the products banned are the ubiquitous 50 milliliter bottles known as shooters, shots, nips or airline bottles.
—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Such terrible deprivations the newcomers to our land must endure while guzzling nips, smoking weed and driving the wrong way on our interstate highways.
—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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 extra, low-effort step makes guests feel especially welcome, as well as nips any potential musical chairs awkwardness in the bud.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2026
While our personal faves are the natural nips, the brand also offers smooth nipple covers.
—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
10 Dec. 2025
Her story about not wanting to flash her nips at the then–Prince of Wales is choice.
—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Boaz Dvir,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
The market is doing the Fed’s job Kevin Warsh’s argument for an ultimately lower Fed funds rate may rely on the notion that financial conditions are likely to tighten further on the long end of the yield curve—far outweighing any nips to the base rate the central bank can make.
—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
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
Chief among the products banned are the ubiquitous 50 milliliter bottles known as shooters, shots, nips or airline bottles.
—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Such terrible deprivations the newcomers to our land must endure while guzzling nips, smoking weed and driving the wrong way on our interstate highways.
—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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 extra, low-effort step makes guests feel especially welcome, as well as nips any potential musical chairs awkwardness in the bud.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2026
While our personal faves are the natural nips, the brand also offers smooth nipple covers.
—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
10 Dec. 2025
Her story about not wanting to flash her nips at the then–Prince of Wales is choice.
—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
But the teacher nips the conversation in the bud, redirecting everyone’s attention to the lesson of the day.
—
Boaz Dvir,
The Conversation,
14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nips
Noun
-
As the United States of America celebrated its 250th birthday on terra firma with fireworks displays this weekend, two Asian countries made some splashes of their own farther from Earth.
-
This recipe has a citrus base that feels seasonally appropriate with splashes of Tabasco which add extra heat.
Noun
-
Inside at Revel Lounge, half the après crowd sips cocktails in robes and slippers while the other half have logged back on with work and are huddled away in the bar’s many discreet nooks and corners.
-
Power couples turn the event into a posh date and may even pack on the PDA between sips of Pimm’s.
Verb
-
Zillow says that a pale pink bathroom could lose you up to $6,013, while a pale pink kitchen shaves an extra $4,201 off potential buyers' offers.
-
The decision to move elections to November shaves several months off the existing terms of the mayor, vice mayor and commissioners.
Verb
-
Dad pinches my cheek between his first two fingers with a soppy look in his eyes.
-
There’s the moment Stanton’s Håkon Werle pinches the back of his son’s neck, like a cruel master bringing his dog to heel.
Verb
-
John Krasinski stars as a jet-setting art thief who steals priceless paintings to help uncover clues as to the whereabouts of the fabled Fountain of Youth.
-
Carr is not a point-of-attack defender, gets beat in isolation and doesn’t collect nearly as many steals for a player with his physical gifts.
Verb
-
Taylor Swift rushes the field to give Travis Kelce a big kiss after his win.
-
The tourism tide rushes in A year earlier, in 1959, Walt Disney opened the Submarine Voyage at Disneyland.
Noun
-
The country’s tragic 21st-century travails provide much of the fodder for the couple’s drama in director Cyril Aris’ moving film, including whether to stay or emigrate, with touches of magical realism and whimsy providing levity.
-
Released in May 2025, the timepiece is based on the RM 72-01 flyback chronograph that launched in 2020, but features a few fresh aesthetic touches in honor of the Monegasque racer.
Noun
-
Small, sustainable changes — such as eating more vegetables and whole grains, choosing nuts or fruit instead of ultraprocessed snacks, and replacing sugary drinks with water — add up over time.
-
The Mai Mango is for the fans of tropical drinks, mixing coconut rum, pineapple amaro and amaretto before topping the drink with a coconut-banana whip ($16).
Cite this Entry
“Nips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nips. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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