1
: a short tight twist or curl caused by a doubling or winding of something upon itself
2
a
: a mental or physical peculiarity : eccentricity, quirk
b
: whim
3
: a clever unusual way of doing something
4
: a cramp in some part of the body
5
: an imperfection likely to cause difficulties in the operation of something
6
: unconventional sexual taste or behavior
kinked; kinking; kinks
: to form a kink
: to make a kink in
Examples of kink in a Sentence
Noun
got a kink in my neck from lying in that awkward position for too long
the boss's fondness for nicknames is one of those kinks that staffers just have to put up with
Recent Examples on the Web
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Fans had mixed experiences at new venue Like any new venue, there were some kinks that the amphitheater will have to iron out.
—Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
Furthermore, the high-speed photographs clearly showed the waist kinking for a bend-and-twist motion, but with one of the rear legs extended and front paws tucked in, more typical of a tuck-and-turn mechanism.
—ArsTechnica, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kink
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Noun
Despite his complicated feelings about the reservoir itself, his favorite cottonwood in the hundreds of miles of canyons he’s traversed is on the main body of water, near a kink in the canyon known as the Rincón.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Fans had mixed experiences at new venue Like any new venue, there were some kinks that the amphitheater will have to iron out.
—Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Verb
But, unfortunately, sitting all day kinks your body like a garden hose.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
Furthermore, the high-speed photographs clearly showed the waist kinking for a bend-and-twist motion, but with one of the rear legs extended and front paws tucked in, more typical of a tuck-and-turn mechanism.
—ArsTechnica, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kink
Cite this Entry
“Kink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kink. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kink
1 of 2 noun1
: a short tight twist or curl (as in a thread, rope, or hose)
2
: cramp entry 1 sense 1
a kink in my back
3
: an imperfection that makes something hard to use or work
kink
2 of 2 verb
: to form or cause to form a kink
Medical Definition
kink
1 of 2 noun1
: a short tight twist or curl caused by a doubling or winding of something upon itself
2
: a cramp in some part of the body
kink
2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to form a kink
: to make a kink in
blood vessels have been kinked and shut off—Benjamin Spock
Benjamin SpockLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
