suck

1 of 2

verb

sucked; sucking; sucks

transitive verb

1
a
: to draw (something, such as liquid) into the mouth through a suction force produced by movements of the lips and tongue
sucked milk from his mother's breast
b
: to draw something from or consume by such movements
suck an orange
suck a lollipop
c
: to apply the mouth to in order to or as if to suck out a liquid
sucked his burned finger
2
a
: to draw by or as if by suction
when a receding wave sucks the sand from under your feetKenneth Brower
inadvertently sucked into the … intrigueMartin Levin
b
: to take in and consume by or as if by suction
a vacuum cleaner sucking up dirt
suck up a few beers
opponents say that malls suck the life out of downtown areasMichael Knight

intransitive verb

1
: to draw something in by or as if by exerting a suction force
especially : to draw milk from a breast or udder with the mouth
2
: to make a sound or motion associated with or caused by suction
his pipe sucked wetly
flanks sucked in and out, the long nose resting on his pawsVirginia Woolf
3
: to act in an obsequious manner
when they want votes … the candidates come sucking aroundW. G. Hardy
usually used with up
sucked up to the boss
4
slang, sometimes vulgar : to be objectionable or inadequate
our lifestyle sucksPlayboy
people who went said it suckedH. S. Thompson

suck

2 of 2

noun

1
: a sucking movement or force
2
: the act of sucking
Phrases
suck it up
: to make the effort required to do or deal with something difficult or unpleasant

Examples of suck in a Sentence

Verb sucking milk through a straw a toddler sucking his thumb She just sucked her teeth and stared. She sucked on an orange slice. I sucked a cough drop. The tide almost sucked us out to sea. The boat was sucked under the water in the storm. These plants suck moisture from the soil. The fan sucks smoke from the air. a vacuum cleaner that sucks up water as well as dirt Noun He took a suck on his pipe.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That’s the fun thing for me, is there’s no reason the next one couldn’t suck back in and be a chamber piece again. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Despite its appearance, the hummingbird’s tongue doesn't suck up nectar like a drinking straw. National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023 Pandora won’t entirely suck up the oxygen in theaters. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Jan. 2023 Looking to give socks that don’t suck this holiday season? Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2022 Carolyn Forté, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Appliances & Cleaning Products Lab, created a printable checklist to make sure keeping the house neat doesn't suck up endless hours of time on weekends anymore. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 22 Nov. 2022 And the downpours keep coming, a couple of them a year now where there used to be none, adding moisture that the pumps cannot suck away. Vivian Yee, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2022 Ready to kick off spooky season with a vampire series that doesn't suck? Brendan Morrow, The Week, 30 Sep. 2022
Noun
The updates attempt to solve a longstanding problem: Job hunting sucks. Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 7 Feb. 2024 A lot of leaders focus their attention and effort on their weaknesses, which can quickly become a time and energy suck. Dr. Kyle Elliott, Mpa, Ches, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 But the suck persists well beyond Spotify’s borders. Heavyweight Down, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2023 So much so that Rodriguez enters his free agency coming off his statistically best season, even though it is not being covered as suck. Tyler Small, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Becoming ghosted when dating sucks, there’s no denying that. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 19 Sep. 2023 Yet our nine contenders for this year’s summer anthem endure in spite of the sugary suck of the algorithm. WIRED, 26 July 2023 In an era when travel can reach peak suck—delays, cancellations, weather hazards—I’m all about the little (and not so little) luxuries. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 11 May 2023 The pleasant sweet taste elicited positive displays (lip suck), whereas the pleasant odors did not. Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2011

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suck.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English suken, from Old English sūcan; akin to Old High German sūgan to suck, Latin sugere

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suck was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near suck

Cite this Entry

“Suck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suck. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

suck

1 of 2 verb
1
a
: to draw in liquid and especially mother's milk with the mouth
b
: to draw liquid from by action of the mouth
suck an orange
also : to draw something from or consume by such action
suck a candy
c
: to apply the mouth to in order to or as if to suck out a liquid
sucked my thumb
2
: to take something in or up or remove something from by or as if by suction
plants sucking moisture from the soil
3
: to act in an overly flattering or attentive manner
suck up to the boss

suck

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sucking movement or force
2
: the act of sucking

Medical Definition

suck

transitive verb
1
: to draw (as liquid) into the mouth through a suction force produced by movements of the lips and tongue
sucked milk from her mother's breast
2
: to draw out by suction

intransitive verb

: to draw something in by or as if by exerting a suction force
especially : to draw milk from a breast or udder with the mouth

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