often attributive
1
: a colored usually liquid material for writing and printing
2
: the black protective secretion of a cephalopod
3
slang
: publicity sense 2d
4
informal
: one or more tattoos on a person's body
Whether or not it's your cup of meat, the proliferation of body-art mags suggests that a slew of folks have ink, and they didn't get it from reading the newspaper.—
Albert Mobilio
Albert Mobilio
inked; inking; inks
1
a
: to put ink on
ink a pen
ink a printing block
b
: to draw or write in ink
ink a design
—often used with incarefully inked in the letters
c
: to obliterate with ink
—usually used with out
inked out many lines
2
US, informal
a
: to affix one's signature to : sign sense 2a
an athlete who has inked a new contract
b
: to engage or hire by securing the signature of (someone) on a contract : sign sense 4
… has been inked to do the part of a judge in an HBO special …—Marge Crumbaker
Marge Crumbaker3
informal
: tattoo
… got himself an elaborate tattoo, his first, inked along his right shoulder …—S. L. Price
S. L. PriceKaufman plans on inking a tat to memorialize his accident.—Micah Abrams
Micah AbramsHis heavily muscled arms are inked shoulder to wrist.—Eve Conant
Eve ConantExamples of ink in a Sentence
Noun
Fill out the form using blue or black ink.
The printer is out of ink.
We're using four different inks for this poster.
Verb
They just inked a new partnership agreement.
the basketball star just inked a two-year contract with the most celebrated franchise in the NBA
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Ink Stains To remove ink stains from leather, dip a cotton ball or swap in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
Along with the Oscars ceremony, other elements including the red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, and Governors Ball access are part of a deal the streaming platform inked with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which runs through 2033.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ink
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Noun
Each monthly image was designed by a different family member associated with studio and printed using ink on recycled materials.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Ink Stains To remove ink stains from leather, dip a cotton ball or swap in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
Some militant groups which inked peace deals are still armed, with rogue elements that may still be active.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
Along with the Oscars ceremony, other elements including the red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, and Governors Ball access are part of a deal the streaming platform inked with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which runs through 2033.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ink
Cite this Entry
“Ink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ink. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ink
1 of 2 noun1
: a usually liquid material for writing or printing
2
: the black protective secretion of a cephalopod
ink
2 of 2 verb1
: to put ink on
2
: to write or draw in ink
inker
noun
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