as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
gave him a sharp fillip on the noggin with her teakettle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to stimulate
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
used a splash of orange-flavored liqueur to fillip the otherwise ordinary cranberry sauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fillip
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
The movie’s success is a fillip for the German business and other writers and directors.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 June 2025
Silent Retreat is a bodice ripper with a fillip of Roman Catholic ritual: a novice ripper.
—Air Mail, 14 June 2025
Great powers throughout history have often found that rivals can act as a productive fillip to friends.
—A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fillip
Noun
China’s foreign minister was due to arrive in New Delhi for talks aimed at rebuilding relations five years after fierce border clashes — efforts which have also been given a fillip by trade pressure from Washington.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
The movie’s success is a fillip for the German business and other writers and directors.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 June 2025
Silent Retreat is a bodice ripper with a fillip of Roman Catholic ritual: a novice ripper.
—Air Mail, 14 June 2025
Great powers throughout history have often found that rivals can act as a productive fillip to friends.
—A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fillip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fillip
Noun
-
Arsenal’s title challenge is back on track, Liverpool have been dealt a potentially season-defining injury blow, and Fantasy Premier League managers now have just four Gameweeks left to make their mark.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The loss of Kidal represents a significant blow to Russia’s credibility in Mali, where the military junta has relied on mercenaries to combat Islamic extremism.—
Wilson Mcmakin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Other options, such as red light therapy caps, are non-invasive devices that use low-level light therapy to stimulate hair follicles and increase density.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Rachel Barber The Fed typically lowers its benchmark rate to stimulate the economy by making borrowing costs cheaper, which can indirectly lower interest rates on auto loans, personal loans, and credit cards.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hell, everyone still thinks the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars slap was staged.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Jeanine Pirro, the DC US Attorney leading the probe, has also repeatedly doubled-down on her pursuit, despite a running series of mishaps and judicial slap-downs.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Yankees need Wells to provide at least some thump in a bottom third of the order that hasn’t been very good.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With a lifelong love of the weight room and a good core of swipes, chops and bull rushes, Young offers a physical presence on both the interior and edge.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Our interface makes intelligent use of swipes and gestures rather than tapping or dialing.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Orlando brothers Isaiah Brown and AJ Brown return after redshirting following transfers from Ohio University, while former top-40 recruits Alex Lloyd and CJ Ingram add scoring punch and athleticism to a crowded rotation.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The cage match turned into a group scrum when another of the Kings’ big uglies, 6-6 Samuel Helenius, threw a punch at Parker Kelly.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
According to investigators, Anderson stands at about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs approximately 220 pounds.—
Alexa Ashwell,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2026
-
California sea lions don’t usually exceed more than 850 pounds and 7 feet in length.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Likewise, the score by Tony Doogan leans too heavily on generic electronic thuds, the kind that segue into a commercial break cliffhanger and an ad for blood pressure medicine.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The Charlotte Hornets’ president of basketball operations summarized the team’s plight in the 2025-26 season, which ended with a thud in Friday night’s play-in tournament loss to the Orlando Magic, and looked forward to the next task.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fillip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fillip. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
