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silken

adjective
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silk·​en | \ ˈsil-kən How to pronounce silken (audio) \

Definition of silken

1 : made or consisting of silk
2 : resembling silk: such as
a : soft, lustrous
b(1) : agreeably smooth : harmonious a silken voice
(2) : suave, ingratiating
3a : dressed in silk silken ankles
b : having a richly luxurious quality the same silken surroundings encountered at the restaurant's far more expensive evening meal— Elaine Tait
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about silken

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Examples of silken in a Sentence

the silken texture of the synthetic fabric she was unaccustomed to living in such silken surroundings
Recent Examples on the Web Rihanna upped the sophistication for many garments this season, such as an oversized pinstriped coat with sloping shoulders and a unisex feel, and a dazzling silken tuxedo jacket with jagged double lapels. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Dior celebrates nature to kick off Paris Fashion Week," 24 Sep. 2019 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau donned Dolce & Gabbana’s silken gold dinner jacket and Milo Ventimiglia picked a platinum velvet Brunello Cucinelli tux jacket. — Vincent Boucher, The Hollywood Reporter, "10 Best Dressed Men at the 2019 Emmy Awards," 22 Sep. 2019 Only 9:36 later, Pastrnak added to his advantage in the goal-scoring race, popping in a forehander at even-strength off a silken dish from Charlie McAvoy. — BostonGlobe.com, "WASHINGTON — David Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin were the headliners, but it was T.J. Oshie who stole the show here Wednesday night when the Bruins and Capitals, the NHL’s two best teams this season, went head to head at Capital One Arena.," 13 Dec. 2019 Doris Day Day, the beautiful blonde whose sunny screen presence and silken singing voice guaranteed box-office and record-chart hits in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, died on May 13, her rep confirmed to PEOPLE. — Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE.com, "Remembering the Stars We Lost in 2019," 5 Dec. 2019 After implantation, the cells grow and replace the silken scaffold, which eventually degenerates into amino acids. — Harini Barath, Scientific American, "Wild Silkworms Produce Proteins Primed for Bioprinting," 24 Nov. 2019 A few weeks later, spiky black caterpillars were swarming over the thistles, spinning silken webs like tents. — Isabella Tree, Time, "How to Return a Farm to the Wild—And Maybe Save the Planet," 3 Oct. 2019 With a silken patter that never stoops to snark or condescension — and an inclusive attention that reaches deep into the mezzanine — Mr. Veneziale asks the audience to feed him words. — Ben Brantley, New York Times, "‘Freestyle Love Supreme’ Review: Hip-Hop Saves the World," 2 Oct. 2019 This recipe from Melissa d'Arabian uses silken tofu as a magical substitution for eggs and cream. — Grant Butler, oregonlive, "35 vegan Thanksgiving recipes to be truly thankful for," 12 Nov. 2019

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

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First Known Use of silken

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for silken

Time Traveler

The first known use of silken was before the 12th century

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Statistics for silken

Last Updated

17 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Silken.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silken. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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More Definitions for silken

silken

adjective
How to pronounce silken (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of silken

: made of silk or a cloth that is like silk
: smooth, soft, and shiny like silk
of food : smooth, soft, and rich

See the full definition for silken in the English Language Learners Dictionary

silken

adjective
silk·​en | \ ˈsil-kən How to pronounce silken (audio) \

Kids Definition of silken

1 : made of or with silk a silken scarf
2 : having a soft and smooth look or feel silken hair

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More from Merriam-Webster on silken

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for silken

Spanish Central: Translation of silken

Nglish: Translation of silken for Spanish Speakers

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