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Synonyms

licking

American  
[lik-ing] / ˈlɪk ɪŋ /

noun

  1. Informal.

    1. a beating or thrashing.

    2. a reversal or disappointment; defeat or setback.

  2. the act of a person or thing that licks.

licking British  
/ ˈlɪkɪŋ /

noun

  1. a beating

  2. a defeat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonlicking adjective

Etymology

Origin of licking

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; lick, -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"She took to them straight away and was licking them and just absolutely adored them," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

Lower rates would be welcome news for tech investors, who are still licking their wounds from the past week.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

It’s when we enjoy slices of birthday cake to our hearts’ content, savoring every single crumb and licking our plates clean of any frosting.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2026

Value investors in the U.S. have spent the past decade licking their wounds as a result.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

Right away she began licking every drop of ice cream off her spoon.

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.