clinking

present participle of clink
as in jingling
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 clinking Where to Eat Linger for hours on the patio at Lakeside Chophouse, clinking glasses of Vinho Verde and watching deer saunter by. Shilo Urban, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026 The hushed buzz of clinking Champagne glasses or afternoon tea pots pouring steaming cups comes from the adjacent lobby lounge. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026 The pleasantly buzzy ballroom, cast in semi-dimmed lighting, filled with excited chatter and clinking silverware, felt like a slightly unwieldy wedding reception. Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026 The trek up the swinging staircase, twinkle lights clinking with each step, had my heart pounding for more reason than one. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026 The photo, which is embedded above, shows the three leading ladies Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara clinking glasses with cheerful looks on their faces. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026 The clip showed the pair clinking spoons and laughing together, turning what began as a brief welfare check into a relaxed exchange between neighbors passing time during the outage. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026 Picture a bunch of people descending in private jets to eat steak and appear on panels about alleviating poverty and fighting climate change (among other noble goals), while clinking cocktail glasses with other fellow rich people in an effort to make one another even richer. Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026 Servers were trading off shifts and the bar was clinking away. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinking
Verb
  • The Household Cavalry, on dark horses and with brightly shining breastplates, trotted past, jingling like a cutlery drawer.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • The hiker then begins jingling bells in the bear's face in an attempt to scare it off, but the bear charges forward.
    Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Amrava is the elegant bar in the courtyard of the Palace wing, with a tinkling fountain outside.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The marbled, frescoed, octagonal room was domed to amplify the sound of a tinkling keys at the center, and hosted regular recitals.
    Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But concerns about the IPO poured in before the opening bell even started ringing.
    Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
  • Musk on Friday marked the opening of trading on Nasdaq, where the company’s shares will be listed, by joining a ceremonial bell ringing from Starbase, the South Texas home of SpaceX.
    Bernard Condon, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Loosed of the wartime imperative to manufacture anti-aircraft guns and submarine torpedoes, factories were free to make bone-rattling dishwashers and mint-colored refrigerators.
    Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
  • With line trucks rattling behind him, Lamont accused Eversource of having grown too comfortable with its ability to raise revenue from its customers in Connecticut, adding that state regulators need new tools to hold all utility companies accountable during requests for rate increases.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Clinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinking. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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