suck

[ suhk ]

/ sʌk /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: suck / sucking / sucks on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to draw into the mouth by producing a partial vacuum by action of the lips and tongue: to suck lemonade through a straw.

to draw (water, moisture, air, etc.) by or as if by suction: Plants suck moisture from the earth. The pump sucked water from the basement.

to apply the lips or mouth to and draw upon by producing a partial vacuum, especially for extracting fluid contents: to suck an orange.

to put into the mouth and draw upon: to suck one's thumb.

to take into the mouth and dissolve by the action of the tongue, saliva, etc.: to suck a piece of candy.

to render or bring to a specified condition by or as if by sucking.

Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio on (sometimes followed by off).

verb (used without object)

to draw something in by producing a partial vacuum in the mouth, especially to draw milk from the breast.

to draw or be drawn by or as if by suction.

(of a pump) to draw air instead of water, as when the water is low or a valve is defective.

Slang. to be repellent or unpleasant: Poverty sucks.

Slang. to be inferior, as in quality or execution; be poor: Everyone says the show sucks. She sucks at tennis.

Slang. to behave in a fawning manner (usually followed by around).

noun

an act or instance of sucking.

a sucking force.

the sound produced by sucking.

that which is sucked; nourishment drawn from the breast.

a small drink; sip.

a whirlpool.

Verb Phrases

suck in, Slang. to deceive; cheat; defraud: The confidence man sucked us all in.

suck up, Slang. to be obsequious; toady: The workers are all sucking up to him because he's the one who decides who'll get the bonuses.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Idioms about suck

suck face, to engage in soul-kissing.

Origin of suck

First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English souken, Old English sūcan, cognate with Latin sūgere; (noun) Middle English souke “act of suckling,” derivative of the noun; akin to soak

OTHER WORDS FROM suck

suckless, adjectiveoutsuck, verb (used with object)un·sucked, adjective

Words nearby suck

such as it is, suchlike, suchness, Su-chou, Süchow, suck, sucker, sucker bait, suckerfish, sucker list, sucker-punch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use suck in a sentence

I started a blog called Boo Cancer, You Suck as a safe place for me to process what I was going through.
Blogger Shares and Shames Cancer in ‘Lily’|Amy Grantham|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Whether the episodes suck or the episodes are great, I stand by them.
The TV Superhero Guru Behind ‘The Flash’|Jason Lynch|October 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They want Lawrence to suck it up and smile for the camera, however retroactively.
Jennifer Lawrence Shouldn’t Laugh Off Her Nude Photo Hack|Samantha Allen|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Anyone who thinks otherwise, to employ the emotional sophistication of “Shake It Off,” can suck it.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ Is Disappointing|Kevin Fallon|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

They were going to suck up this problem and turn into the solution to the other problem, which was the meat shortage.
Mississippi Hippos, Teddy Bears, and Other Strange Beasts|Scott Porch|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then they continue to prick the body, and, as they say, they draw off or suck out the humors until the body is left dry.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
The child, who teaches its grandmother to suck eggs, commits a venial fault in comparison.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
They seize the former so dexterously by the neck that they always master them; the crocodile eggs they suck.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
If the young elephant had once been used to suck with his mouth, how could he lose that habit the remainder of his life?
Buffon's Natural History. Volume VII (of 10)|Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon
She is supposed to be a sort of spiritual vampyre, and to suck the life out of infants and young people.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman

British Dictionary definitions for suck

suck

/ (sʌk) /

verb

to draw (a liquid or other substance) into the mouth by creating a partial vacuum in the mouth

to draw in (fluid, etc) by or as if by a similar actionplants suck moisture from the soil

to drink milk from (a mother's breast); suckle

(tr) to extract fluid content from (a solid food)to suck a lemon

(tr) to take into the mouth and moisten, dissolve, or roll around with the tongueto suck one's thumb

(tr; often foll by down, in, etc) to draw by using irresistible forcethe whirlpool sucked him down

(intr) (of a pump) to draw in air because of a low supply level or leaking valves, pipes, etc

(tr) to assimilate or acquire (knowledge, comfort, etc)

(intr) slang to be contemptible or disgusting

sucking diesel informal doing very well; successful

suck it and see informal to try something to find out what it is, what it is like, or how it works

noun

the act or an instance of sucking

something that is sucked, esp milk from the mother's breast

give suck to to give (a baby or young animal) milk from the breast or udder

an attracting or sucking forcethe suck of the whirlpool was very strong

a sound caused by sucking

See also suck in, suck off, sucks, suck up to

Derived forms of suck

suckless, adjective

Word Origin for suck

Old English sūcan; related to Old Norse súga, Middle Dutch sūgen, Latin sūgere to suck, exhaust; see soak

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

suck

Idioms about suck

Origin of suck

OTHER WORDS FROM suck

Words nearby suck

Words related to suck

How to use suck in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for suck

Derived forms of suck

Word Origin for suck