kink

noun \ ˈkiŋk \

|Updated on: 4 Jul 2018

Examples: kink in a Sentence

Definition of kink

1 : a short tight twist or curl caused by a doubling or winding of something upon itself

2 a : a mental or physical peculiarity : eccentricity, quirk

b : whim

3 : a clever unusual way of doing something

4 : a cramp in some part of the body

5 : an imperfection likely to cause difficulties in the operation of something

6 : unconventional sexual taste or behavior

See kink defined for English-language learners

See kink defined for kids

Examples of kink in a Sentence

got a kink in my neck from lying in that awkward position for too long
the boss's fondness for nicknames is one of those kinks that staffers just have to put up with

Recent Examples of kink from the Web

As of May, post-hurricane kinks remained, though, a sign that the reopening may have come too quickly.

— lizette alvarez, New York Times, "The Cheeca Lodge Is Back, Tiki Bar and All," 23 June 2018
Absent any eleventh-hour kinks, the budget could be approved by week’s end, a full week before the deadline – a budget milestone.

— Philly.com, "In the Pa. Capitol, a milestone in the works: an on-time budget," 19 June 2018
The production has Broadway aspirations after this West Coast tryout, and the kinks of pacing and song placement will surely evolve.

— SFChronicle.com, "World premiere musical ‘Walk on the Moon’ in S.F. mostly captures spirit of 1969," 16 June 2018
Multimedia in the literal sense, the collages also focus on the artistic potential of black hair itself: coils and kinks grow up, not down; black hair is itself sculptural.

— hannah giorgis, The Atlantic, "Lorna Simpson Maps the Complex Galaxies of Black Women’s Hair," 10 June 2018
Kimetrica has been field-testing MERON, and has a few kinks to work out before the program might be unrolled.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "Can AI Tell If a Child Is Malnourished?," 8 June 2018
Quick to respond to feedback, management is eager to work out any minor opening kinks.

— anna caplan, star-telegram, "Fries? Check. Wonderfully messy sandwiches? Check. Roll of paper towels? Absolutely," 6 June 2018
And critics have continued to express skepticism about the F-35's combat capability despite reassurances by US military leaders who say the kinks are being worked out.

— zachary cohen, CNN, "F-35 stealth fighter jets get first taste of combat," 22 May 2018
Charlie Baker told us all to be patient and to give the Registry a few weeks to work out the kinks.

— shirley leung, BostonGlobe.com, "Happy birthday to me: 3½ hours at the RMV waiting to renew my license," 6 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kink.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of kink

Dutch; akin to Middle Low German kinke kink

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1678

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

kink Synonyms

kink

verb

Definition of kink

kinked; kinking; kinks

intransitive verb

: to form a kink

transitive verb

: to make a kink in

Recent Examples of kink from the Web

More than 400 turns and corners kink the raceway, according to Sports Illustrated, making the contest among the most difficult high-speed races on earth — and one of the most deadly.

— kyle swenson, chicagotribune.com, "Motorcycle racing's 'most dangerous' event is underway and a rider is already dead," 1 June 2018
Using your kink as a smokescreen for abusing women is a) a classic abuser’s tool, and b) a wildly inaccurate misrepresentation of what BDSM/kink actually is.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "Eric Schneiderman and Men Who Excuse Violence As ‘Kink’," 8 May 2018
The little clamp doesn't kink or pull hair, either.

— jessica teich, USA TODAY, "The best hair styling tools of 2018," 1 May 2018
Other details, such as the angular headlights and tortuously kinked sheetmetal, may appeal to some buyers.

— michael simari, Car and Driver, "2018 Toyota Prius," 17 Jan. 2018
Speaking specifically to kink, and even more specifically to name-calling in bed, what happens within a consensual relationship is incomparable to the heinous non-consensual treatment women experience in the workplace.

— sophie saint thomas, GQ, "How to Talk Dirty Without Being a Bad Man," 18 Jan. 2018
And while being kinky still comes with social stigmas, Stephanie*, a 25-year-old woman involved in the New York City kink scene, says kinks are increasingly viewed as mainstream.

— sophie saint thomas, Allure, "11 of the Most Common Sexual Fetishes," 1 Nov. 2017
Like many contemporary movies, this one kinks up its timeline.

— manohla dargis, New York Times, "Review: Christopher Plummer Dominates ‘All the Money in the World’," 24 Dec. 2017
According to the automaker, a frozen door latch or a bent or kinked actuation cable may result in a door that will not open or will not close.

— william thornton, AL.com, "Ford issues recall for 1.3 million trucks," 19 Oct. 2017