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
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Recent Examples of clinking
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
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
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
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
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
-
After Willie Mitchell died that year, the phone stopped ringing at Royal Studios.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
But throughout all the wish fulfillment, a faint siren keeps ringing.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
This nerve-rattling sequence that leaves three of the Khachaturian men dead is a wrenching depiction of innocent casualties brought down by split-second combat decisions.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Just the title, with its three abrupt syllables, becomes the echo of a century’s rattling sabres.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinking. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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