kitchen-sink

adjective

kitch·​en-sink ˈki-chən-ˈsiŋk How to pronounce kitchen-sink (audio)
1
: being or made up of a hodgepodge of disparate elements or ingredients
2
chiefly British : portraying or emphasizing the squalid aspects of modern life
the kitchen-sink realism of contemporary British dramaCurrent Biography

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web But unlike a mere spa, wellness centers are vast, kitchen-sink affairs spanning entire building floors, sometimes multiple stories, with amenities like aromatherapy pools, meditation gardens, and quiet rooms. Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 25 May 2023 Such lofty creative goals engender a certain degree of risk, and there are times when the blend of larger-than-life action adventure with kitchen-sink realism doesn’t really work. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023 The competition field also includes the latest — and reportedly final — kitchen-sink drama from 86-year-old British master and past Palme winner Ken Loach. Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2023 Director Michael Morris’s kitchen-sink drama about an alcoholic lottery winner was almost entirely unheard of prior to January, when stars such as Edward Norton and Gwyneth Paltrow began gushing about the performance of its lead, Andrea Riseborough. Vulture, 7 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kitchen-sink.' 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

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of kitchen-sink was in 1954

Dictionary Entries Near kitchen-sink

Cite this Entry

“Kitchen-sink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kitchen-sink. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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