# suck

/ˈsək/ (US) · /sˈʌk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/suck
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to draw in liquid

verb · CEFR B1

to pull liquid into your mouth using your lips and tongue.

For teachers: to draw liquid into the mouth by creating a vacuum with the lips and tongue.

- The child used a straw to suck the last bit of juice from the carton.
- The infant began to suck instinctively as soon as it was placed near the breast, demonstrating a fundamental survival reflex.

Usage: Often used with 'up' when drawing liquid through a straw.

### 2. to hold in the mouth

verb · CEFR B1

to keep something in your mouth and move your tongue against it.

For teachers: to hold something in the mouth and apply pressure or suction to extract flavour or moisture.

- He liked to suck on a piece of hard candy while he was working.
- The doctor advised the patient to suck on ice chips to stay hydrated without putting strain on the digestive system.

Usage: Commonly used with sweets or ice cubes.

### 3. to be bad

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

to be very bad, annoying, or disappointing.

For teachers: to be extremely inferior, objectionable, or unpleasant. Intransitive, though often followed by 'at' to specify a skill.

- I really suck at tennis, but I enjoy playing with my friends anyway.
- The fans started booing because the team's performance really sucked during the second half of the game.

Usage: When used to describe a lack of skill, it takes the preposition 'at'.

Teaching tip: While very common in casual speech, this can be considered mildly vulgar or rude in professional settings.

### 4. to pull with force

verb · CEFR B2

to pull something in a certain direction using suction or air.

For teachers: to draw something in a specific direction through the force of a vacuum or moving fluid.

- The powerful vacuum cleaner can suck up all the dust from the carpet.
- The small boat was nearly sucked into the whirlpool created by the opening of the dam's floodgates.

Usage: Often used with 'into' or 'down'.

### 5. an act of suction

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

the act of pulling air or liquid into the mouth.

For teachers: the action or an instance of drawing something in by suction.

- He took a long suck on his straw before answering the question.
- The diver took one last deep suck of air from the tank before beginning the final ascent to the surface.

Usage: Usually used with 'take a'.

## Examples

- It really sucks that we have to work this weekend.
- The new update to the app really sucks because it crashes every time I try to save my work.
- While the cinematography was stunning, the dialogue and pacing of the film truly sucked, leaving the audience feeling bored and disconnected from the characters.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.