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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
In the coastal towns, surfers line the golden sand beaches and tuk-tuks zip along twisting roads, their horns blending with the rhythmic clink of fishmongers’ knives and the sizzle of hoppers frying in street stalls.
—Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Charna Flam, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Inside, diners in white linen and retro-reissue sneakers clink glasses of Minuty rosé (€15) before diving into sea bass ceviche (€17) and chicken breast served with baked slices of Normandy apples (€26).
—Seth Sherwood, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clink
Noun
The low hum of jazz drifts through the air, mingling with warm lighting and the quiet clink of glasses.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
In the coastal towns, surfers line the golden sand beaches and tuk-tuks zip along twisting roads, their horns blending with the rhythmic clink of fishmongers’ knives and the sizzle of hoppers frying in street stalls.
—Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
Our buckteeth clinked painfully.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Inside, diners in white linen and retro-reissue sneakers clink glasses of Minuty rosé (€15) before diving into sea bass ceviche (€17) and chicken breast served with baked slices of Normandy apples (€26).
—Seth Sherwood, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clink
Noun
-
Now, there's no possibility a bar owner will lose their license or face jail time.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that jail clothing assists with safety and identification.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Tuesday’s clips played on that history, with the person behind the camera catching Carey at various points throughout her day, with the expectation of hearing that Christmastime jingle.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Some say his spurs are still jingling down the hallway, chasing after her.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Sylvester Stallone has an unexpected pick for which of his films shouldn't be sentenced to cryo-prison.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
-
He was sentenced to life in prison without parole that July, per the Detroit Free Press.—
Kelsey Lentz,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Eerie chants, tinkling percussion, zany strings, and plucky swelling piano.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The soothing, deeply resonant humming of the bowls and sparkling tinkling of chimes filled the room.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Portlaoise Prison, which is in the center of Ireland, is a nineteenth-century penitentiary built like a fortress—a one-star establishment, at best.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
If found guilty of a level 5 felony, Sanchez could be imprisoned anywhere from one to six years at an Indiana penitentiary and fined up to $10,000, according to the Indiana Code.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Video shows the trio standing ominously in the front yard before taking turns ringing the bell, knocking on the door and, at one point, jiggling its handle.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Concern was etched in her voice and guilt rang through me.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of our challenges was thinking up a good chinking method that wouldn’t take an entire month.—
Tasha Zemke,
Outside Online,
24 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.—
Betsy Klein,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
On Tuesday, Sanae Takaichi met face-to-face with a man who has rattled leaders around the world, including her Japanese predecessors, on both security and economic fronts.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clink. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share