nipping
Americanadjective
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sharp or biting, as cold.
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sarcastic; caustic.
adjective
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sharp and biting
a nipping wind
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sarcastic; bitter
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nipping
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.
Amex couldn’t resist a jab at the other credit-card companies nipping at its lounge heels: It will be the only operator with outlets at the three major metro New York airports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Before the conflict, Saudi Arabia was the world’s No. 1 crude-oil exporter, with the U.S. nipping at its heels after the yearslong boost in production following the shale revolution.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
And competitors are always nipping at their heels—particularly for Mixue, where a sluggish Chinese economy has led to cutthroat price wars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Russell demonstrated the urgency as the drivers headed out for their final laps by nipping ahead of Piastri as they exited the pits.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Frightful and I slept with the good frost nipping our faces.
From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
