ticking (off) 1 of 2

verb (1)

Definition of ticking (off)next
present participle of tick (off)
as in listing
to specify one after another ticked off everything she would need to buy while her daughter wrote the items down on a list

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ticking off

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of tick off
1
as in admonishing
to criticize (someone) so as to correct a fault she royally ticked the babysitter off for letting the child play outside unsupervised

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infuriating
to make angry it really ticks me off when someone says something like that

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 ticking (off)
Verb
Preparing for a Super Bowl watch party, or tailgate spread, means ticking off a list of classic menu items. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026 Uber is out with its annual Lost & Found Index, ticking off the items riders leave behind on the car seat. — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 6 June 2026 For any of this to become reality, SpaceX needs to begin ticking off a lengthy to-do list of technical milestones. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2025 Disney even launched a live-countdown clock that’s ticking off the months, days, hours, minutes and seconds until the film’s mid-December premiere. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 Whether taking on twisty roads, cruising around city streets, or ticking off miles on the highway, the Speedster rode well and exhibited no discernable cowl shake or flex. — Peter Nelson, Robb Report, 27 May 2026 Jornet reached the final stretch of Colorado peaks on after methodically ticking off the ten 14ers in the Sangre de Cristo Range. — Jayme Moye, Outside, 19 Sep. 2025 On Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, seconds were ticking off the clock and Kawhi Leonard had the ball in his hands and an opportunity to win the game. — Janis Carr, Oc Register, 8 Mar. 2026 But this should not be a matter of ticking off the boxes to rush an execution of someone who has a real claim of innocence, and the Supreme Court should be very cautious about sanctioning an approach where the state is prioritizing speed over the cause of justice. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ticking (off)
  1. listing
  2. admonishing
  3. infuriating
  4. reciting
  5. reprimanding
  6. angering
  7. detailing
  8. getting on
Verb
  • The driver of the fleeing vehicle was booked into the Wyandotte County Detention Center, according to the jail’s inmate listing.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • She's also dreamed about paying down that future pool by listing it on Swimply.
    — Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 3 July 2026
Definition of listing
Verb
  • Regardless, this issue could have resolved if the Giants had issued a statement straight away either defending their players’ First Amendment right to express their views or admonishing them for violating the term of the CBA.
    — Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • In the viral video after the shooting, neighbors can be heard angrily admonishing officers for killing the dog.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of admonishing
Verb
  • The result can be a more consistent connection, fewer interruptions and less of that infuriating mid-episode quality drop.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Adding secondary maturations into the bourbon lineup is likely going to divide longtime Four Roses fans, delighting some and infuriating others.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 June 2026
Definition of infuriating
Verb
  • The flags are saved for periodic retirement ceremonies that involve reciting a script, standing at attention, a moment of silent reflection, and the subsequent burning.
    — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
  • Gerald speaks in a forceful cadence, like a start-up founder reciting a LinkedIn post.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
Definition of reciting
Verb
  • Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Definition of reprimanding
Verb
  • The mayor floated the idea to place Williams on probation for six months, angering the city manager’s supporters in the crowd.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • But both Mamdani and his police commissioner have repeatedly refused to discuss the nature of the event — angering some nearby business owners and raising questions about the use of public resources to cover private security.
    — Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of angering
Verb
  • Visitors can tour the mansion, gardens, Washington's tomb, working farm and museum exhibits detailing his life, military leadership and presidency.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • The fragments, known as octraca, have inscriptions detailing commercial transactions, correspondence and other details of daily life, Zahran said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of detailing
Verb
  • From the gratifying casual exchanges being experienced by anyone going to Fan Fest, getting on the KC Streetcar, happening upon visitors in restaurants or attending satellite festivities.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 4, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • In general, Ocasio-Cortez has been cautious with her endorsement strategy and, with a handful of exceptions, has stayed away from getting on the wrong side of Democratic leadership in Washington.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026
Definition of getting on

Browse Nearby Words

tickets
ticking (off)
ticking off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ticking (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ticking%20%28off%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All