chinks 1 of 2

plural of chink
1
as in backs
a vulnerable point before the tournament she studied tapes of her chief rival, looking for the chink in her game

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2
as in fissures
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure plugged the chinks in the walls with mortar

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chinks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chink
as in clinks
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound in the breeze the flag's chain chinked against the flagpole

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of chinks
Noun
The book is, in fact, a sober, evenhanded analysis of a field that, until recently, had few chinks in its armor. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 The result is a fiery and impassioned offering that finds the veteran fully engaged and intent on proving no chinks have been left in his armor despite his tenuous back-and-forth with his Compton counterpart. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 15 May 2026 Does the bazaar allow for chinks in the kind of class barriers that would usually exist? — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025 But after the break, the Americans started to find some chinks in the English armour. — Peter Carline, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chinks
Noun
  • The 6-foot-1, 200-pound corner fits the lengthy, rangy profile the Panthers have looked for in their defensive backs — and prior to a season-ending injury last year, Thornton had won the nickel corner job from Smith-Wade.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026
  • That, of course, would not be a good luck for the running backs.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Groundwater steadily rises through fissures in the limestone bedrock, providing the spring with a constant flow of pristine water.
    — Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Allegations expose fissures within SEIU Two law firms conducted separate investigations into Regan’s behavior at SEIU California, an umbrella group consisting of 17 local service unions.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As the bullet weight clinks and clacks along the bottom, bass will key in on your rig and follow it.
    — Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Each robot, remotely operated, clinks glasses and gestures in unison, embodying the camaraderie and hope of the musical’s revolutionaries.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The most caustic people in the world often have the softest underbellies — at least if Alden Ehrenreich is playing them.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Cashmere is expensive because these goats produce a limited amount of this precious fiber, found on their underbellies, and the process of obtaining the wool is labor-intensive.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Just like crevices in window frames, openings in door and window screens can invite a plethora of pests inside.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026
  • For tighter spaces, a cotton swab or an old toothbrush can help lift residue and reach crevices.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Much like a tuning fork, the resonator also rings when struck.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Well, that promise now rings hollow in the ears of every TSA worker today.
    — Hydrick Thomas, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Once Woll’s bratty vamp was through draining jugulars, the actress found a second signature role as Karen Page on Marvel’s Daredevil (2015–2018).
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Kanal has borne the brunt of these rifts and was kept in financial limbo during those nearly two lame-duck years.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • To Hazel Roberts, 18, a first-year student at Grand Canyon University who started a Turning Point chapter back in high school, these intraparty rifts are a painful reminder of why Kirk's leadership mattered.
    — Elena Moore, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Chinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chinks. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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