"Mister"ing a tick? You're a funny kid.
Source: tatoeba (327147)
Tick
/tɪk/
Synonyms for "tick" (258 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (52)
Strong matches (77)
clunkcommercial creditconsumer creditcorduroycottoncoupcrackcreditcredit insurancecredit ratingcredit unioncrumpcutdaddy longlegsdappledashdefinedelimitdemarcatediplopod
Show 52 more words
discolordiscolorationdotdrumdull thuddun and bradstreet ratingearmarkengraveengravingfabricflashfleckflickflumpflyfrecklefunctiongashgogo pitapatgravinghackhalf a jiffyhalf a mohalf a secondhalf a shakeharvestmanhatchhave effecthave free playhave playhexapodhire purchase planimpressimprintinsectinstallment creditinstallment planinstantinvestment creditjiffjiffyjotlarvaleechlentigolineline of creditmaculamaggotmake a markmark
Adjective(1 words)
dutch teken
Noun(4 words)
Related words (129)
mark offmark outmarkingmicrosecondmilitatemillepedemillipedemillisecondminutemitemolemomentmosquitomottlenever-nevernevusnicknotchnylonnymph
Show 94 more words
operatepadpalpitatepantparasitepatpatchpatterpencilpepperpercolateperformperkpitapatpitter patterpitter-patterplayplumpplunkpointpolka dotpopprickprintpulsatepulsepunchpunctuatepuncturerapratingrebukeriddlerunscarscarificationscarifyscorescorpionscotchscratchscratchingsealseamsecsecondshakespeckspecklespidersplashsplit secondsplotchspotstainstampstigmastigmatizestrawberry markstreakstriatestripestroketake effecttaptarantulatattootattoo marktax creditthrobthudthumptick offtickingticktackticktickticktocktinkletittletracetricetrusttunktwinktwinkletwinklingtwitchtwo shakesunderlineunderscorewatermarkwinkwood tickwork
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: check, ticking, act, annoy, arachnid.
- Sentence evidence is available for tick, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tick".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "tick"
Keep "tick" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tick" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "tick", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tick" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
9 entriesclock tickhard tickparasite ticksteady tickingtick bitetick boxtick marktick ratetick sound
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriestick markuntick
similar
15 entriesSample sentences
27 total sentences available.
I like to take things apart to see what makes them tick.
Source: tatoeba (637199)
I just can't work out what makes Tom tick.
Source: tatoeba (3289083)
I hear the buzz of a fan, the drip of the faucet, the hum of the fridge, the tick of the clock, the whoosh of cars passing by the house.
Source: tatoeba (3681674)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "tick"?
Closest matches include check, ticking, act, annoy, arachnid.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "tick"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.