clink 1 of 2

noun

Definition of clinknext
slang
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody I once spent a night in the clink, and it's an experience I don't want to repeat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clink

2 of 2

verb

ˈkliŋk How to pronounce clink (audio)
as in to jingle
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 clink
Noun
The beer brand encourages users to exchange details or connect on social media with each clink. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026 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
Verb
In the next shot, the couple clinked wine glasses as Gomez took a bite of cheese, before Blanco filmed marinara sauce being laid in a pan. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 The smell of sterile floors, gowns, instruments on clinking metal trays. — Rebekah Taussig, Time, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clink
  1. jail
  2. jingle
  3. prison
  4. tinkle
  5. penitentiary
  6. ring
  7. chink
  8. rattle
Noun
  • Guillen-Molina was being held in the Jackson County jail on a $200,000 cash-only bond.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Nantambu spent a month in a Middle Eastern jail before proving that Brown lied.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of jail
Verb
  • Just when things seemed too contentious and/or boring to a late-night viewer, Stewart knew when to jingle the keys in our face.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 July 2026
  • On the walls, a few pots hang from a copper rod, a dinner bell waits to be jingled, and an ancient clock keeps time.
    — Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 2 July 2026
Definition of jingle
Noun
  • Federal probation officials are recommending 24 months in prison.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Unflinching, the documentary does not shy away from addressing the critics’ panning of much of McCartney’s solo work, the murder of John Lennon, his brief stint in a Japanese prison and his bold choice to sue the Beatles.
    — Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of prison
Verb
  • The small fragments of colorful glass, strung along together, produce soothing sounds, their tinkling notes wafting through the air alongside a chorus of windchimes and the sweet scent of plumeria blooming in the garden.
    — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • Food and drink Fontana restaurant is the main attraction here, with an inviting courtyard and a tinkling fountain lending a European feel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026
Definition of tinkle
Noun
  • Ker’Sean Ramey, 41, is set to die by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • LeJames Norman, 40, was put to death by lethal injection Wednesday at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of penitentiary
Verb
  • His task, seemingly simple, was to ring the bell at the right moment—just as Rocky was about to get the upper hand on Apollo.
    — Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Later that morning, Bobbie's phone rang on the other side of Phoenix.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of ring
Verb
  • The great room’s pale logs with visible chinking contrast with ultra white floors and drywall.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 25 May 2026
  • The halcyon days of chinking champagne flutes, spacious seating, and sense of adventure has long been replaced by the budget sardine-can approach to air travel.
    — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 1 May 2026
Definition of chink
Verb
  • Rebecca Noble/Reuters Hiring grew much less than expected in September as a monthslong surge of inflation weighed on shoppers and rattled bond markets, according to the federal government's monthly jobs report.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI said the notifications didn’t necessarily mean systems were compromised -- the activity may have been more like rattling a locked door than breaking it down.
    — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of rattle

Browse Nearby Words

clinics
clink
clinked
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Cite this Entry

“Clink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clink. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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