Stick — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈstik/

Meaning & Definition of Stick

Stick (noun)

  1. a woody piece or part of a tree or shrub
  2. a usually dry or dead severed shoot, twig, or slender branch
  3. a cut or broken branch or piece of wood gathered for fuel or construction material
  4. a thrust with a pointed instrument, stab
  5. delay, stop
  6. impediment

Stick (verb)

  1. to hit or propel (something, such as a hockey puck) with a stick
  2. to pierce with something pointed, stab
  3. to kill by piercing
  4. to push or thrust so as or as if to pierce

Stick (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  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

Stick (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in finger

    similar: finger, cake, croquette, cutlet, fritter, galette, patty, gâteau

  2. as in clam, wallflower

    similar: clam, wallflower, cold fish, cold turkey, iceberg, icicle, prig, snob, snoot, snot, stuffed shirt
    opposite: dear, sweetheart, sweetie

  3. as in pile, post

    similar: beam, brace, pile, post, ridgepole, sill, splint, stake, stave, lumber, timber, wood, bar, billet, block, cordwood, firewood

  4. as in stab

    similar: stab, punch, push, shove, dab, dig, jab, lunge, poke, jam, jerk, jog, nudge

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

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

  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

Related Entry: Stick around (verb)

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

  1. to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time

    "we stuck around afterwards to help clean up"

    similar: abide, dwell, hang around, remain, stay, tarry
    related: await, hang on, hold on, wait, dally, dawdle, linger, loiter, outstay, overstay
    opposite: bail, bail out, bug out, buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, exit, get off, go, go off, leave, move, pack (up or off), peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, shove (off), take off, vamoose, walk out
    near: abscond, book (slang), decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, run away, scat, scram, skip, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate

Related Entry: Stick-in-the-mud (noun)

Stick-in-the-mud is a different word from Stick. The synonyms below are for stick-in-the-mud, not for stick.

  1. a person with old-fashioned ideas

    "the committee is dominated by old stick-in-the-muds who have little interest in bringing new ideas to the table"

    similar: antediluvian, Colonel Blimp, dodo, fogy, fossil, fud, fuddy-duddy, mossback, reactionary, stuffed shirt
    related: conservative, rightist, Tory, mandarin, old hand, old-timer, veteran, old maid
    opposite: hipster, modern, trendy
    near: liberal, progressive, radical

Related Entry: Stick out (verb)

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

  1. to extend outward beyond a usual point

    "no feet sticking out in the aisles, please"

    similar: bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bulge, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch (chiefly dialect), pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, start, swell
    related: dome, blow up, inflate, dilate, distend, expand, mushroom, snowball, elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch
    near: compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

  2. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

    "managed to stick out the whole race despite her bad knee"

    similar: abide, absorb, accept, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
    related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
    near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)

Related Entry: Stick-to-itiveness (noun)

Stick-to-itiveness is a different word from Stick. The synonyms below are for stick-to-itiveness, not for stick.

  1. firm or unwavering adherence to one's purpose

    "I wonder if he really has the stick-to-itiveness to finish law school"

    similar: decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determination, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve
    related: doggedness, obduracy, obdurateness, obstinacy, obstinateness, perseverance, persistence, persistency, stubbornness, tenaciousness, tenacity, certainty, certitude, confidence, sureness, alacrity, eagerness, gameness, readiness, backbone, fortitude, grit, iron, pluck, sand
    opposite: hesitation, indecision, indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution, vacillation
    near: doubt, incertitude, indetermination, uncertainty, aversion, disinclination, indisposition, reluctance, unwillingness

Related Entry: Stick in one's craw (phrase)

Stick in one's craw is a different word from Stick. The synonyms below are for stick in one's craw, not for stick.

  1. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "That new pop song sticks in his craw every time it's played."

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

Related Entry: Stick up for (phrase)

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

  1. to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

    "She is known for always sticking up for what is right."

    similar: defend, justify, maintain, support, uphold, stand up for
    related: advocate, champion, espouse, confirm, vindicate, warrant, affirm, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, insist, plead, proclaim, profess, protest, state, argue, debate, discuss, emphasize, stress, underline, underscore
    near: abandon, abjure, forsake, recant, retract, take back, withdraw, reverse, switch, controvert, disprove, rebut, refute

  2. to promote the interests or cause of

    "He stuck up for his colleague during the debate."

    similar: advocate, back, champion, endorse, patronize, plump (for), plunk (for), support, go in for, go to bat for, hold a brief for, stand up for
    related: adopt, embrace, espouse, abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with), backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advance, forward, further, plug, preach, talk up, bail out, deliver, rescue, save
    near: baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down

Related Entry: Stick (to) (verb)

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

  1. as in hug, cling (to)

    similar: cleave (to), cling (to), hug, carry, keep, maintain, preserve, remember, retain, treasure, brood (about or over), fixate (on or upon), obsess (about or over), cultivate, foster, nurture, support, sustain, bear, cherish, entertain, harbor, have, hold, nurse
    opposite: disregard, drop, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, abjure, decline, deny, disdain, refuse, reject, repudiate, scorn, abandon, desert, discard, forsake, give up, part (with), quit, renounce, throw out, erase, expunge

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Stick

The most common words with a similar meaning to Stick:

Slang: hose
British slang: nobble
adhere, cleave, cling, hew, depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix, lay, place, position, put, set, set up, situate, gore, harpoon, impale, jab, lance, peck, pick, pierce, pink, puncture, run through, skewer, spear, spike, spit, stab, transfix, transpierce, beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Stick

Words with the opposite meaning of Stick:

dear, sweetheart, sweetie

Related Words for Stick

bind, cohere, fasten, fuse, glue, unite, 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

Near Antonyms of Stick

loosen, drop, fall, relocate, remove, take, banish, dislodge, displace, replace, supersede, supplant

Word Forms of Stick

Inflections: sticked, sticking, sticks, stuck

Derived words: sticklike (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Stick

Middle English stik, from Old English sticca; akin to Old Norse stik stick, Old English stician to stick

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Stick

Words & Phrases Containing Stick

stick and poke, stick around, stick blender, stick figure, stick in one's craw

Frequently Asked Questions about Stick

What does "Stick" mean?

"Stick" means a woody piece or part of a tree or shrub. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a woody piece or part of a tree or shrub. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Stick"?

Other words for "Stick" include adhere, cleave, cling, hew, depose, deposit, dispose and emplace. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Stick" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Stick"?

There are 201 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Stick". Common alternatives include adhere, cleave, cling, hew, depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix and lay.

What is the opposite of "Stick"?

Antonyms of "Stick" include dear, sweetheart and sweetie. Near antonyms include loosen, drop, fall and relocate.

How do you use "Stick" in a sentence?

Examples of "Stick" in a sentence: "those magnets are strong enough to stick to the refrigerator without any problems"; "you can stick that box in the corner until I figure out where to put everything"; "could hardly feel the needle when the nurse stuck my arm with it".

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

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

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

As a B1-level word, "Stick" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Stick"?

"Stick" is pronounced /ˈstik/.