TIC Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

tic

noun

ˈtik

Definition of tic

as in trick

an odd or peculiar habit constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics

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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 tic People experiencing psychosis, dissociation, tics, and other problems after meditating were asking for help. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 Cage plays Roy, a gifted con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder whose tics, phobias and elaborate rituals have turned his immaculate home into a fortress against the world. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The first four episodes retain most of the novel’s key incidents and tics. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 Show your unique speaking style For decades, communication coaches counseled clients to ruthlessly eliminate verbal tics and awkward pauses. — Matt Abrahams, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic

Noun

Today, our constructor has reached into his evidently limitless bag of tricks to pull out a doozy of a Thursday grid.

— Sean McGowan, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The subtle, but unmistakable, undercurrent of apple sweetness struck me as a bit of a magic trick in a bread that, otherwise, to the eye and hand was just a soft white loaf.

— Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of trick

Noun

If researchers can reliably take advantage of these characteristics, biological computing could one day be the prime choice in applications where systems need to adapt to unfamiliar conditions in a field far from home.

— Mike McRae October 19, New Atlas, 20 Oct. 2026
The challenge is to broaden a brand’s appeal without diluting the characteristics that distinguish it from competitors.

— Yiling Pan, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Noun

And judging by the amount of controversy that’s already been stirred up, Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic character of a middle-class white Brit appropriating hip-hop and Jamaican mannerisms still has the ability to rile people.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
As on television, Seyfried nails Holmes’s wide eyes, unsteady mannerisms, deep voice, and mysterious vocal cadence that makes the character both unreal and oddly human.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of mannerism

Noun

Rather than reinventing the concept, Sigma seems focused on fixing the quirks that made the original a tough sell for many shooters.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
In the new film, as in his previous work, Fielder uses actors to play out real scenarios, and leans on his own dry, bluntly awkward persona to bring out his subjects’ quirks and oddities.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of quirk

Noun

Nina Simone’s definition of freedom, in the early 1970s, as the absence of fear, and Gaye’s license to express oneself, down to every last funky idiosyncrasy.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
With exceptional performances from the entire cast and homages to musical legends like Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, Bioh and White present a reflection of the Black female experience in all of its dazzling idiosyncrasies, triumphs and pains.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of idiosyncrasy

Noun

There’s a hint of eccentricity and individuality to it that feels particularly exciting for SS27.

— Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
But the scenes of Roy using household objects to relay the action of the game (accompanied by twinkling music) push Keeley beyond the limits of eccentricity.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of eccentricity

Noun

She was arrested and charged with second-degree child endangerment after her daughter reportedly arrived at school with sunburns, sparking a media frenzy over Krentcil's extreme tanning habits and parenting.

— Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
YPulse’s reporting on Gen Z shopping habits digs into how younger buyers can treat finding affordable alternatives as a legit shopping achievement.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of habit

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tiaras

tic

tick

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Style

“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tic

noun

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