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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inkling
The first inkling of the government questioning the DHS account came from the US Department of Justice.
—
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Earlier in the week while discussing the field for the 3-point shooting contest at the NBA’s 2026 All-Star festivities in Los Angeles, Kon Knueppel must’ve had an inkling.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2026
Even before the photo, members had inklings their search histories were being monitored by the DOJ, which on Monday began allowing lawmakers to review unredacted versions of the files.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026
This inkling emerged when Vickers was a PhD student learning from some of the greatest cognitive scientists of all time, including Anne Treisman and Daniel Kahneman.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inkling
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Earlier in the week while discussing the field for the 3-point shooting contest at the NBA’s 2026 All-Star festivities in Los Angeles, Kon Knueppel must’ve had an inkling.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2026
Even before the photo, members had inklings their search histories were being monitored by the DOJ, which on Monday began allowing lawmakers to review unredacted versions of the files.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026
This inkling emerged when Vickers was a PhD student learning from some of the greatest cognitive scientists of all time, including Anne Treisman and Daniel Kahneman.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inkling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inkling
Noun
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Miami also declined to offer Jovic, though there’s no indication that his inclusion would have satisfied Phoenix.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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Notably, the concert was directed by Hamish Hamilton, the British director renowned for his work on huge entertainment events, including the annual Super Bowl halftime show and Oscars, which gives an indication of the magnitude of BTS’ return.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But one clue about Self’s thinking may have come in October.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
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Dragonfly will study Titan's surface, which could give scientists clues on whether or not the moon's hydrocarbon lakes and rivers hold molecules that are a precursor for life.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And further out in the disk, the astronomers have spotted a third, smaller break in the material—a tantalizing hint that matter there may have already collapsed into a planet closer to Saturn’s size.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
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Following this discovery, astronomers found hints of an additional object closer to WISPIT 2, confirming this to be a planet using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the VLT Interferometer (VLTI).—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The stock has fluctuated in recent months and is down 4% year to date amid mixed signals on earnings momentum, leaving investors closely watching for cues from Abel and his deputies at the upcoming shareholder meeting in early May.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2026
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Then there's evolutionary programming, which is a class of optimization algorithms that take their cues from natural selection.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As a result, bosses, parents and people in authority will listen to you and respect your suggestions.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
23 Mar. 2026
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Have a suggestion for a future story?—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inkling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inkling. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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