as in jingling
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound
coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clinking
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
So the pair took a romp through wine country for Christina’s birthday, clinking glasses at Progeny Winery in Napa Valley and Restoration Hardware in Yountville.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Later on, the younger kids in bed, a gathering of lawn chairs, clinking ice, and summer crickets or cicadas, frogs, whatever, Ray, what is that?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
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, 22 Nov. 2025
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
So the pair took a romp through wine country for Christina’s birthday, clinking glasses at Progeny Winery in Napa Valley and Restoration Hardware in Yountville.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Later on, the younger kids in bed, a gathering of lawn chairs, clinking ice, and summer crickets or cicadas, frogs, whatever, Ray, what is that?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
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, 22 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinking
Verb
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School rules now insignificant—even to Walsh, who stands hands in his pockets, jingling his keys.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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The live action How the Grinch Stole Christmas led the way, jingling all the way to 669M minutes viewed.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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The Drawing Room is best for afternoon teas accompanied by a tinkling piano.—
Lydia Bell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Not sure ringing bells is going to do much to stop a person from getting mauled.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Barely wide enough to handle a summer crowd of single-lane traffic, pedestrians, and bell-ringing cyclists (not to mention the percussion of Away and Rimowa wheels on the pavement), Commercial Street runs nearly three miles along Provincetown Harbor.—
Cameron Sperance,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fermin, who has taken mask-rattling shots fairly frequently this season, was joking and talking with teammates after the game.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Saber rattling between the US and Cuba has reached a fever pitch following a US military operation in Caracas in January that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a staunch ally of the Cuban government.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinking. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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