inkling

noun

ˈiŋ-kliŋ How to pronounce inkling (audio)
Definition of inklingnext
as in indication
a slight or indirect pointing to something (as a solution or explanation) did not give the slightest inkling that he was planning to quit

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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 inkling Cleveland star point guard James Harden was always expected to decline his player option, long before there was any public inkling that James would leave the Lakers in free agency. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 July 2026 Realizing even an inkling of this Truth will lead to freer lives. — Suzanne Riedel, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026 During his lifetime, Vincent van Gogh had no inkling that his work would become one of the world’s most famous paintings. — Nick Mafi, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026 Advertisement The first inkling of recalibration came when tech bros suddenly started emphasizing the importance of taste. — Miranda Shanahan, Time, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inkling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inkling
  1. indication
  2. clue
  3. hint
  4. cue
  5. suggestion
Noun
  • In about two short months, the NBA regular season will officially kick off, but if the volume of offseason golf is any indication, the competitiveness started well before that opening tip.
    — Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • On the right, Max Dowman, still just 16, could well start the opening game, if pre-season friendlies are any indication, as Bukayo Saka continues to work back to full fitness from an Achilles issue.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of indication
Noun
  • The latest figures will offer more clues on the inflation outlook and the Federal Reserve’s next moves on interest rates.
    — , CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In rocks from the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, 240-million-year-old fossils still hold clues about the origin of the animal groups that would transform terrestrial ecosystems forever.
    — The Conversation, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of clue
Noun
  • Astronomers observing Betelgeuse in 2024 found hints of a second star, and now a paper published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics strongly supports its existence.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The team also found hints that oxygen was present in the brine, and even a bit of genetic evidence to suggest that underground microbes might be capable of using it.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hint
Noun
  • In humans, the temporal lobe plays a role in forming memories, mastering language, responding to visual cues such as familiar faces, and processing emotions.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Those gamblers will look for body language cues during pregame routines.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of cue
Noun
  • Hotel Moraine's main food and drink offering is sharing great suggestions of where to dine off property (Nookie's and Eddie's at the Silver Sands Motel, and North Fork Table and Inn near Southold were my favorites).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Most recently, Ghana pushed for the situation in South Africa to be included in the agenda of an upcoming African Union meeting, a suggestion which was rejected by the continental body.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggestion

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Cite this Entry

“Inkling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inkling. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inkling for Spanish Speakers

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