Neck — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈnek/

Meaning & Definition of Neck

Neck (noun)

  1. the part of an animal that connects the head with the body
  2. the siphon of a bivalve mollusk (such as a clam)
  3. the part of a garment that covers or is next to the neck

Neck (verb)

  1. to kiss and caress amorously
  2. to reduce in diameter
  3. to engage in amorous kissing and caressing

Neck (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a broad geographical area

    "we're going to be in your neck of the woods in July, so maybe we can get together then"

    similar: belt, corridor, land, part(s), region, tract, zone
    related: district, domain, latitude(s), range, realm, terrain, territory, neighborhood, vicinity

  2. a narrow body of water between two land masses

    "only a narrow neck of the South China Sea separates Taiwan from mainland China"

    similar: channel, narrows, sound, strait
    related: arm, bay, gulf, inlet, roads, roadstead, reach, stretch

  3. a very small distance or degree

    "for most of the race he trailed the leader by only a neck"

    similar: ace, hair, hairbreadth, hairline, hop, skip, and jump, inch, shouting distance, step, stone's throw
    related: bit, crumb, dab, iota, jot, minim, mite, particle, smidgen, trace, trifle
    opposite: country mile, long haul, mile
    near: infinity, light-year

Neck (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in nose, cuddle

    similar: bill, canoodle, cuddle, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon, caress, fondle, gentle, love, pat, pet, stroke, feel up, paw, cradle, embrace, enfold, hug, bounce, dandle, knead, massage, baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

Related Entry: Neck and neck (adjective)

Neck and neck is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for neck and neck, not for neck.

  1. showing little difference in the standing of the competitors

    "a neck and neck finish in which only a fraction of a second separated the winner from the runner-up"

    similar: close, down-to-the-wire, hairbreadth, narrow, nip and tuck, tight
    related: crowded

Related Entry: Pain in the neck (phrase)

Pain in the neck is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for pain in the neck, not for neck.

  1. one who is obnoxiously annoying

    "That guy's always been a pain in the neck and I just try to ignore him."

    similar: annoyance, annoyer, bother, gadfly, gnawer, nudnik, nuisance, pain, persecutor, pest, tease, teaser
    related: headache, harrier, heckler, interrupter, hassle, plague, harasser, molester, tormentor, torturer
    near: charmer, smoothy, comforter, solacer, soother

Related Entry: Pains in the neck (phrase)

Pains in the neck is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for pains in the neck, not for neck.

  1. one who is obnoxiously annoying

    "That guy's always been a pain in the neck and I just try to ignore him."

    similar: annoyances, annoyers, bothers, gadflies, gnawers, nudniks, nuisances, pains, persecutors, pests, teasers, teases
    related: headaches, harriers, hecklers, interrupters, hassles, plagues, harassers, molesters, tormentors, torturers
    near: charmers, smoothies, comforters, solacers, soothers

Related Entry: Breathe (verb)

Breathe is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for breathe, not for neck.

  1. to inhale and exhale air

    "sometimes it gets so hot in here that it's hard to even breathe"

    similar: respire
    related: blow (out), draw, expire, inbreathe, inspire, gasp, huff, pant, puff, suspire, wheeze, sniff, snore, snort, snuff, snuffle, whiff, yawn
    near: asphyxiate, choke, gag, smother, suffocate, garrote, stifle, strangle, throttle

  2. to have life

    "as long as I breathe, you will have a place to stay"

    similar: be, exist, live, subsist
    related: abide, continue, endure, hold on, hold up, keep (on), kick, last, lead, persist, rule, run on, survive, move, flourish, prosper, thrive
    opposite: depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, succumb
    near: disappear, evaporate, vanish, cease, desist, discontinue, end, quit, stop, abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, wane

Related Entry: Breathe (out) (verb)

Breathe (out) is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for breathe (out), not for neck.

  1. to let or force out of the lungs

    "leaned back in his chair and breathed out the smoke from his pipe"

    similar: blow (out), exhale, expel, expire
    related: expectorate
    opposite: inbreathe, inhale, inspire

Related Entry: Scoop (noun)

Scoop is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for scoop, not for neck.

  1. a utensil with a bowl and a handle that is used especially in cooking and serving food

    "an ice cream scoop"

    similar: dipper, ladle, spoon
    related: skimmer, dessertspoon, soupspoon, tablespoon, teaspoon

  2. information not generally available to the public

    "come on, I know you've got the scoop on their breakup"

    similar: 411 (slang), book, dope, inside, lowdown, poop (slang), skinny (slang), tip
    related: dirt, dish, gossip, rumor, story, hint, pointer, information, intelligence, news, tidings, word
    near: ancient history, open secret

Related Entry: Stick (verb)

Stick is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for stick, not for neck.

  1. to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion

    "those magnets are strong enough to stick to the refrigerator without any problems"

    similar: adhere, cleave, cling, hew
    related: bind, cohere, fasten, fuse, glue, unite
    near: loosen, drop, fall

  2. to arrange something in a certain spot or position

    "you can stick that box in the corner until I figure out where to put everything"

    similar: depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix, lay, place, position, put, set, set up, situate
    related: move, rearrange, reorder, shift, orient, establish, locate, plant, settle, clap, flop, plank, plop, plump, plunk, plunk down, slap, ensconce, niche, assemble, collect, carry, berth, park, affix, anchor, lock, lodge, wedge, array, lay out, line up, queue, rank, set down
    near: relocate, remove, take, banish, dislodge, displace, replace, supersede, supplant

  3. to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object

    "could hardly feel the needle when the nurse stuck my arm with it"

    similar: gore, harpoon, impale, jab, lance, peck, pick, pierce, pink, puncture, run through, skewer, spear, spike, spit, stab, transfix, transpierce
    related: spindle, perforate, riddle, bayonet, dirk, gimlet, pike, poniard, prong, quill, pinprick, poke, prick, punch, thrust, cut, knife, slice

  4. to rob by the use of trickery or threats

    "she got stuck by an unscrupulous seller while using the online auction site"

    similar: beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, gaff, hose (slang), hustle, mulct, nobble (British slang), pluck, ream, rip off, rook, screw, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize, sell a bill of goods to, take for a ride, take to the cleaners
    related: extort, wrench, wrest, wring, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle, fast-talk

Related Entry: Stick (to or with) (verb)

Stick (to or with) is a different word from Neck. The synonyms below are for stick (to or with), not for neck.

  1. to give steadfast support to

    "thanks for sticking with me after all my other so-called friends turned their backs"

    "the governor has sworn to stick to his campaign promises"

    similar: adhere (to), cling (to), hew (to), keep (to), stand by, abide by, hold to, live up to
    related: cleave (to), advocate, back, champion, confirm, defend, endorse, espouse, support, uphold, accept, adopt, cherish, cultivate, embrace, follow, foster, heed, backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, enforce, reinforce
    opposite: defect (from)
    near: abandon, abnegate, desert, forsake, give up, relinquish, spurn, surrender, abjure, recall, recant, reconsider, renege, renounce, retract, revoke, take back, unsay, withdraw, controvert, disagree (with), disprove, dispute, rebut, refute, contradict, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, gainsay, negate, negative, repudiate, back down, back off, backtrack

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Neck

The most common words with a similar meaning to Neck:

belt, corridor, land, part(s), region, tract, zone, channel, narrows, sound, strait, ace, hair, hairbreadth, hairline, hop, skip, and jump, inch, shouting distance, step, stone's throw, bill, canoodle, cuddle, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon, caress, fondle, gentle, love, pat, pet, stroke, feel up, paw, cradle, embrace, enfold

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Neck

Words with the opposite meaning of Neck:

country mile, long haul, mile

Related Words for Neck

district, domain, latitude(s), range, realm, terrain, territory, neighborhood, vicinity, arm, bay, gulf, inlet, roads, roadstead, reach, stretch, bit, crumb, dab, iota, jot, minim, mite, particle, smidgen, trace, trifle

Near Antonyms of Neck

infinity, light-year

Word Forms of Neck

Inflections: necked, necking, necks

Origin & Etymology of Neck

Middle English nekke, from Old English hnecca; akin to Old High German hnac nape

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Neck

Words & Phrases Containing Neck

neck and neck, neck gaiter, neck-rein, neck-deep, neck of the woods, breathe down one's neck, bull neck

Frequently Asked Questions about Neck

What does "Neck" mean?

"Neck" means the part of an animal that connects the head with the body. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the part of an animal that connects the head with the body. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Neck"?

Other words for "Neck" include belt, corridor, land, part(s), region, tract, zone and channel. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Neck" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Neck"?

There are 79 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Neck". Common alternatives include belt, corridor, land, part(s), region, tract, zone, channel, narrows and sound.

What is the opposite of "Neck"?

Antonyms of "Neck" include country mile, long haul and mile. Near antonyms include infinity and light-year.

How do you use "Neck" in a sentence?

Examples of "Neck" in a sentence: "we're going to be in your neck of the woods in July, so maybe we can get together then"; "only a narrow neck of the South China Sea separates Taiwan from mainland China"; "for most of the race he trailed the leader by only a neck".

Is "Neck" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Neck" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Neck" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Neck" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Neck"?

"Neck" is pronounced /ˈnek/.