kinkier; kinkiest
1
: closely twisted or curled
2
: relating to, having, or appealing to unconventional tastes especially in sex
also : sexually deviant
3
kinkily adverb
kinkiness noun

Examples of kinky in a Sentence

She says her boyfriend is a little kinky. while passing through the airport, don't wear any kinky clothing that is likely to pique the interest of security
Recent Examples on the Web Hair type: Best for natural hair types (wavy, curly, kinky, coily) 3/19 Best for Fine Hair: Art Naturals Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo A great option for repairing thin, brittle, and damaged hair, Dr. Green praises this product for its powerful combination of ingredients. Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024 Come for the great tailoring and stay for the kinky clerical collars, open back shirts, and bikini-esque overlays. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 Racist beauty standards have long compelled girls and women with kinky hair to straighten it. Ronnie Cohen, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2024 Or take a page out of Michelle Williams’ and Keke Palmer’s book with a long, kinky wig this season. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Dec. 2023 Until such a nationwide law exists, people with curly or kinky hair may not feel safe wearing styles that are natural or that keep their hair and scalp healthy. Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023 Under white supremacist hegemony, mainstream society tells us that the right way to be a woman is to have long, silky locks, that kinkier textures are unattractive, that certain hair colors are only for certain skin colors. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 6 Dec. 2023 In her most prominent role, Farrow played a woman who has a kinky romance with a disturbed loner (Harvey Keitel) in writer-director Toback’s Fingers (1978). Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Jan. 2024 Remember her blue kinky wig and yellow eyeshadow for the Late Show With David Letterman in 2010? India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kinky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinky was in 1804

Dictionary Entries Near kinky

Cite this Entry

“Kinky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinky. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

kinky

adjective
kinkier; kinkiest
1
: tightly twisted or curled
2
: very strange or odd
kinkiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on kinky

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