suck

suck — verb

1. Creating a partial vacuum so that liquid or air passes into the mouth; also, pla

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

Creating a partial vacuum so that liquid or air passes into the mouth; also, placing an object against the opening of the mouth and pressing it with the tongue until it softens or releases its taste — for example, raising a cool drink through a straw or letting a piece of hard candy gradually melt between the tongue and the roof of the mouth.

Example

The toddler sat and sucked the last of her orange juice through a striped straw.

transitive + through + instrument of suction

Padma sucked on a lemon drop while she finished writing her essay.

suck on + [something held in mouth]

Common collocations
  • suck a straw
  • suck a lollipop
  • suck your thumb
  • suck air
  • suck on candy
  • suck dry
Synonyms
  • sip

    means to drink a small amount at a time, not the continuous pulling action of 'suck'

  • slurp

    implies a noisy, unrefined way of drinking or eating, often socially disapproved

Antonyms
  • blow

    suck pulls air/matter inward; blow pushes it outward

Grammar Patterns

suck + noun phrase (transitive)

suck on + noun phrase (intransitive)

Usage Note

Can be used transitively ('suck a straw') or intransitively with 'on' ('suck on a piece of candy'). The particle 'on' is more common when describing holding something in the mouth for a period of time rather than drinking.

Common Mistakes

I sipped the orange juice through a straw.
I sucked the orange juice through a straw.
'sip' means to drink a little at a time, while 'suck' involves continuous pulling force through the mouth.

2. To pull an object, liquid, or gas into, through, or out of something using stron

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

To pull an object, liquid, or gas into, through, or out of something using strong physical force created by suction — for example, a vacuum cleaner pulling dust out of a carpet, or a river current pulling a swimmer downward.

Example

The vacuum cleaner quickly sucked all the dust from the old living room rug.

instrument (vacuum cleaner) + suck + object + from + surface

A sudden gust of wind sucked the front door open and sent napkins flying.

natural force + suck + object + open

Common collocations
  • suck in
  • suck up
  • suck out
  • suck into
  • suck dry
  • suck under
Synonyms
  • draw

    more formal; 'draw water from a well' sounds literary, while 'suck' is everyday

  • pull

    less specific about the mechanism; 'pull' can use any force, 'suck' specifically uses suction

Antonyms
  • blow

    blow pushes outward; suck pulls inward

  • expel

    formal; to push something out with force

Grammar Patterns

suck + noun + into/out of/through + noun (transitive)

be sucked + preposition direction

Usage Note

Often used in the passive voice ('be sucked into/out of/by'). Common subjects include instruments of suction (vacuums, pumps, drains) and natural forces (wind, currents, whirlpools). The direction of movement is typically specified by a prepositional phrase.

Common Mistakes

The vacuum cleaner sucked the dirt.' (correct, but vague)
The vacuum cleaner sucked the dirt from the living room carpet.
This sense usually requires a direction or location to make the meaning clear.

3. To be extremely bad, unpleasant, disappointing, or of very poor quality — used i

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

To be extremely bad, unpleasant, disappointing, or of very poor quality — used in informal speech, especially by younger speakers, to express strong negative feelings about an experience, object, or situation.

Example

Christopher said the concert sucked because the band played only old songs.

[person] + said + [thing] + sucked (past tense)

Yan thought her new phone sucked, so she returned it to the store.

Common collocations
  • totally sucks
  • really sucks
  • life sucks
  • this sucks
  • sucks at
Synonyms
  • stink

    also informal, but slightly less common: 'the food stinks'

  • be awful

    neutral register, usable in formal contexts unlike 'suck'

Antonyms
  • rock

    informal slang opposite: 'this place rocks!'

  • rule

    informal opposite: 'summer vacation rules!'

Grammar Patterns

[thing/experience] + sucks (simple present)

it sucks that + clause

Usage Note

Always intransitive — the subject is the thing being criticized, not the person doing the criticizing. You cannot say 'I suck this movie' to mean 'I think this movie is bad.' The that-clause structure ('it sucks that...') is very common. Avoid this sense in formal or academic writing.

Common Mistakes

I suck this game.
This game sucks.
The subject of 'suck' (sense 3) is always the thing that is bad, not the person who dislikes it.
Phrasal verbs

suck in

phrasal verb

To pull air into your lungs or to pull your stomach inward.

Suck in your stomach so the shirt fits better.

He sucked in a deep breath before jumping into the water.

suck into

phrasal verb

To pull someone or something into a situation or place, often against their will.

The whirlpool sucked the small boat into its center.

She got sucked into an argument she wanted to avoid.

suck up

phrasal verb

To try to please someone in authority by flattering them or doing favors.

The intern is always sucking up to the manager for a promotion.

Stop sucking up and just do your job honestly.

Idioms

milk/suck somebody/something dry

idiom

To take all the money, help, or information from someone or something without giving anything back.

The big company milked the small farm dry and left it bankrupt.

After years of sucking the town dry, the factory closed without warning.

suck it and see

idiom

Used to say that the only way to know if something works is to try it.

I'm not sure if this recipe will work, but let's suck it and see.

Instead of worrying, just suck it and see what happens.

suck it up

idiom

To accept a difficult situation and deal with it without complaining.

The coach told the team to suck it up and play harder.

When Maya lost her phone, she had to suck it up and buy a new one.

teach your grandmother to suck eggs

idiom

To tell someone how to do something that they already know how to do better than you.

Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs; she's been baking for decades.

Telling a mechanic how to fix a car is like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs.

suck — noun

Word family

  • sucker
    nounB2
  • sucking
    adjectiveB1
  • suckle
    verbC1
  • suction
    nounB2
  • suckling
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Sip, slurp, inhale, and draw all relate to taking something into the mouth or body, but they differ in manner and connotation. 'Sip' means to drink a very small amount at a time, typically a hot or carefully savored beverage, implying controlled and gentle action — you sip hot tea from a cup. 'Slurp' specifically means to drink or eat noisily by drawing in air and liquid together, usually carrying a negative social connotation of poor table manners — you slurp noodles noisily from a bowl. 'Inhale' means to take air or smoke into the lungs through the nose or mouth, associated with breathing rather than tasting or drinking — you inhale deeply after running. 'Draw' is more formal or literary and often used in phrases like 'draw on a cigarette' or 'draw water from a well.' 'Suck' is the most general and concrete term: it describes pulling liquid or air into the mouth using the lips and tongue, and also covers holding something in the mouth to dissolve it. For example, you sip champagne at a wedding, slurp ramen at a casual noodle bar, inhale fresh mountain air, draw slowly on a pipe, and suck cough drops to soothe a sore throat.

sip ↗slurpinhaledraw

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'suck' comes from Old English 'sūcan', which traces back to Proto-Germanic '*sūkaną'. This root is related to Latin 'sūgō' (to suck) and Greek 'ῠ̔ζω' (huzō, to suckle). All these forms ultimately derive from the Proto-Indo-European root '*sug-/*suk-', an imitative or onomatopoeic sound representing the act of drawing liquid into the mouth. The slang sense meaning 'to be very bad' emerged in American English during the 1970s, possibly from the image of something being as worthless as something already sucked dry.