nickname
noun
a name added to or substituted for the proper name of a person, place, etc., as in affection, ridicule, or familiarity.
nicknaming
-
present participleof nickname.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Sokol earned a reputation for being hard-driving and sometimes difficult, with some nicknaming him “The Great Young God,” a nod to both his intelligence and his ego.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026
Paloma made light of it, nicknaming the tumour "Maria the Lung Mass", he says.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2025
The caption: “POV: Me on my way to HR yet again for nicknaming my co-worker ‘Tariff’ for costing the company more than they’re worth.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2025
They had extinguished the main fire, which ignited smaller ones, nicknaming it “la Mère,” or mother, in French.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2023
"Chachas—" she always called us that, from muchachas, girls, which is how come we had ended up nicknaming her a play echo of her name for us, Chucha.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
