slang
as in knife
an instrument with a metal length that has a sharp edge for cutting slashed at the prison guard with a shank he had secretly made from a scrap of metal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 shank Lamb shanks are braised in Malbec till they can be shredded and made into croquettes with provoleta cheese and a yogurt mint sauce. John Mariani, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Normally, a carbon fiber shank is used on the nearly 30-year-old basketball sneaker. Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2025 After a couple shanks, Sanchez launches one on line. Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025 In Swift’s case, her large rock is bezel set on a split-shank gold band. Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shank
Noun
  • While a decade ago the majority of knife crime perpetrated by young people was related to gangs, this is no longer the case, James Alexander, an associate enterprise fellow in criminology at London Metropolitan University, told CNN.
    Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Homemade knives, called shanks, are plentiful inside the prison, several inmates said.
    Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • There are 10 speeds for nearly any task, and there are also 10 attachments available that transform your mixer into a pasta maker, a veggie cutter and more.
    Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to guarding Doncic, Kuminga looked comfortable launching bombs from behind the arc against a porous Lakers defense while also creating space as a cutter when Green had the ball at the elbow.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shank. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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