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
Aside from nicknaming Haley “birdbrain,” Trump and his allies largely ignored her until recent weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2024
She took Sierra with her everywhere, nicknaming her “Fat Cat” for her voracious appetite.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 21, 2022
"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
