tinny

adjective

tin·​ny ˈti-nē How to pronounce tinny (audio)
tinnier; tinniest
1
: thin in tone
a tinny voice
2
a
: resembling tin
b
c
: lacking depth or substance : empty
tinny arguments
3
: of, abounding in, or yielding tin
tinnily adverb
tinniness noun

Examples of tinny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The power of the human voice, even transcribed imperfectly onto magnetic tape and played over a tinny speaker, was life-changing. Adam Verner september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025 Saturday afternoons weren’t complete without a browse through the racks, the smell of fresh plastic packaging, and the soundtrack of pop hits piped over tinny speakers. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025 The hum of a refrigerator, the distant drone of a neighbor’s lawnmower, the tinny bleeping of a vintage Gameboy, the rhythmic creak of trampoline springs in action. Guy Lodge, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025 The tinny, atmospheric beat escalates the wickedness, like a party that ends with a seance. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tinny

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tinny was in 1552

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Cite this Entry

“Tinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinny. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

tinny

adjective
tin·​ny ˈtin-ē How to pronounce tinny (audio)
tinnier; tinniest
: resembling or suggesting tin

More from Merriam-Webster on tinny

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