dinky

adjective

ˈdiŋ-kē How to pronounce dinky (audio)
Definition of dinkynext
as in small
of a size that is less than average recent college graduates crowding into a dinky New York City apartment

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 dinky Also of note is the considerable size of the hotel’s rooms, with the standard ‘Deluxe King’ occupying an ample 460 sq ft, which seems positively palatial when compared to the dinky hotel rooms that are typical across much of Japan. — Stephen Kelly, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026 How would real mountains compare to my favorite suburban dinky hill? — Blair Braverman, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026 And unlike the dinky little tabletop tripods of the other smart telescopes, the Celestron Origin comes with a NexStar Evolution-style mount and tripod. — Gemma Lavender, Space.com, 9 Mar. 2026 The Wave for 2, which made its debut at this year’s Florida RV Supershow, may be Westfalia America’s most accessible model, but don’t mistake it for a dinky van short on capability. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dinky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dinky
  1. small
  2. diminutive
  3. little
  4. tiny
  5. pocket
Adjective
  • The Sun’s gravity confines dense plasma, while terrestrial machines must create conditions for useful fusion within a much smaller space.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Ear seeding is a needle-free acupuncture technique that uses small beads held to the ear with adhesive to stimulate specific pressure points.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Mini-moons’ proximity to Earth, and their low relative speeds, means less rocket propellant is needed to get out to these diminutive targets and back to Earth.
    — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The evening, co-hosted by Vanity Fair, marked a continuation in the film’s already lengthy journey, with a suitably ambitious exhibition pulling back the curtain on costumes, puppets, props and diminutive sets.
    — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adjective
  • Here's where the high diesel prices add up tough – what little hay there is, is a lot more expensive to harvest.
    — Anna King, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The prince didn’t have any luck in blocking Kelce, which comes as little surprise given the Chiefs star knows how to avoid defensive players.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • In the evening, the low-slung space fills with locals seeking Liebster's famous tiny hasselback potatoes topped with trout roe, and buttery brioche with Parmesan cream, mortadella and clams.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • As Earth plows through the debris streams, tiny particles slam into our atmosphere at 65,000 miles per hour (104,607 kilometers per hour), producing dazzling streaks of light across the night sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of tiny
Adjective
  • Even compact silhouettes like this carry-on backpack are a great option for storing more belongings, with its suitcase-like opening and multi-pocket interior that makes organization a walk in the park.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Large clutches, like those at Bottega Veneta and Chanel, and comfortable shoulder bags like the Miu Miu multi-pocket bag, also featured.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Definition of pocket

Browse Nearby Words

dinkum
dinky
dinned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dinky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dinky. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of quondam

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All