to click

Examples

• All

• Things would begin to click for Sam when he began writing his own music.

  Sam Smith: Dreams Come True (2015)

• Sometimes things click.

  Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

• "I thought if you two saw each other again something might click," said Michelle.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Things just didn't click very easily for me.

• Someone brought up the idea of critical inquiry yet again, and suddenly everything clicked for me.

  Academic text (2014)

• But with Amanda, something just clicked.

  School for Scoundrels (2006)

• After studying for weeks, everything finally clicked in her mind during the exam.

• It took a while, but eventually, all the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.

Synonyms

S

to see

vsto click

∞ 1.0

To understand what something means

is a sudden full understanding rather than general mental awareness

R

to realize

vsto click

• US

∞ 1.1

To suddenly understand something you did not know before

is a sudden clear insight rather than an occasional awareness

G

to get it

vsto click

• Informal

877 1.1

To understand something after someone explains it

is an immediate moment of understanding not needing prior explanation

C

to catch

vsto click

474 2.1

To notice something quickly with the senses or mind

is sudden full clarity rather than a brief perception

C

to come home

vsto click

• Informal

82 5.0

An idea or fact finally feels very clear and real to someone

is sudden intellectual clarity without the strong emotional feeling

D

to dawn

vsto click

57 3.6

To begin to be understood and become clear

is immediate sudden comprehension rather than a slow beginning

F

to fall into place

vsto click

41 3.9

To become clear and easy to understand after confusion

is a single sudden moment of clarity rather than a gradual process

T

to twig

vsto click

• Slang

1 8.9

To suddenly understand something you did not notice before

is sudden clarity expressed neutrally rather than informally

Antonyms

C

to confuse

266 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

M

to misunderstand

53 1.8

To think something is true when it is not

Phrasal Verbs

C

to click open

1 3.1

Open something so it makes a small sharp sound

C

to click into gear

• Informal

4.2

To start working well and fast after a slow time

C

to click off

• Informal

5.6

To finish a task quickly and well

Compounds

M

mouse click

3 1.6

An action of pressing and releasing a mouse button once to choose or open something

C

click beetle

1 7.6

A beetle that snaps its body to flip into the air and make a quick clicking sound

C

click-clack

6.3

A series of quick, sharp sounds like train wheels or high heels

C

clickety-click

8.6

A fast, rhythmic clicking sound made by machines or repeated actions

How Fast

to click

87 3.4

to twig

• Slang

1 8.9

to realize

• US

∞ 1.1

to notice

∞ 1.0

to learn

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology