slinky

adjective \ ˈsliŋ-kē \

|Updated on: 16 Jul 2018

Definition of slinky

slinkier; slinkiest

1 : characterized by slinking : stealthily quiet

slinky movements

2 : sleek and sinuous in movement or outline; especially : following the lines of the figure in a gracefully flowing manner

a slinky evening gown

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slinkily

play \ˈsliŋ-kə-lē\ adverb

—

slinkiness

play \ˈsliŋ-kē-nəs\ noun

See slinky defined for English-language learners

See slinky defined for kids

Examples of slinky in a Sentence

The dancers wore slinky costumes.

Recent Examples of slinky from the Web

Phantoms brings a slinky darkness to its live stage show, tempered by a delightfully unpretentious bit of stage banter.

— kat bein, Billboard, "Phantoms & Nicole Millar Have Pure Vibes On Their 'Agenda:' Exclusive," 12 July 2018
Other favorites include this super slinky bodycon dress that literally screams Veronica — the front slit features her name scrawled along the edge with red lipstick embroidery acting like punctuation.

— mekita rivas, Teen Vogue, "Torrid Launches Size-Inclusive Riverdale Merch," 29 June 2018
Plenty of toys are also available for purchase, such as a slinky dog and talking Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear dolls.

— gabrielle russon, OrlandoSentinel.com, "New Toy Story Magic Bands, Disney pins are for sale at new land," 28 June 2018
The knee-length skirt is a nice balance to the slinkier backside.

— jill sanford, Outside Online, "The Best Adventure Dresses," 26 June 2018
In the first, Mr. Sciarrino, clearly inspired by Paganini’s dazzling violin caprices, writes an avant-garde equivalent, with whirlwinds of jagged, scratchy-toned arpeggios that flow into slinky, sliding tones, then erupt in staccato madness.

— New York Times, "Review: A Tiny Garage Explodes in Pianistic Madness," 25 June 2018
Over a slinky bossa nova beat, Misch and featured hip hop group De La Soul deliver a seductive hit of soulful music, letting the instruments and Misch’s silky voice steal the show.

— raisa bruner, Time, "Best Songs of 2018 So Far," 1 June 2018
The last few years in celebrity fashion have all been about the naked dress; a slinky, often cut-out or high-cut number with plenty of sheer panels and illusion design.

— jess edwards, Cosmopolitan, "A naked bridal jumpsuit exists and we're lost for words," 4 Jan. 2018
Meanwhile, popular wedding guest Pippa Middleton exchanged her coral dress and peach jacket by Matthew Williamson for a slinky black floor-length number.

— marcia moody, Town & Country, "Why Pippa Middleton's Guests Have to Bring Two Outfits to Her Wedding," 19 May 2017

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