HINKY Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

hinky

adjective

ˈhiŋ-kē

Definition of hinky

slang

as in unsure

not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something the cop was feeling hinky about the whole situation and was starting to think that it was a setup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty after noticing that the driver seemed hinky, the border guard demanded that he submit to an inspection of his vehicle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hinky Wisconsin is similarly a hinky place that can be hard to poll, but the most recent ones show Democrats have a shot at holding the Governor’s gig. — Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 The rule of law may be battered and bruised, and even at times a bit hinky. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Even with such an expansion afoot, odd missteps, hinky plotholes, and confounding questions still abound. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024 These sorts of trust schemes have been around a long time and are known by a variety of hinky names such as the constitutional equity pure trust or a pure trust organization. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 Lumber prices have shot up again in a rise reminiscent of a year ago, when high-climbing wood prices warned of the hinky supply lines and broad inflation to come. — Ryan Dezember, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2021 Some of these outcasts — like the would-be killer of Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley (a hinky looking Adam Chanler-Berat) — are all too familiar. — Marilyn Stasio, Variety, 14 Nov. 2021 The scene at the small, Northeast Hancock Street house was hinky. — oregonlive, 3 May 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hinky

Adjective

Omer Shamir France Fleeing from Khan Younis, award-winning Palestinian photojournalist Mohammed Zaanoun moves his immediate family to safety in Egypt, unsure of what’s to come.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
DiCamillo said backers of a ballot measure also should be concerned any time support registers below 50%, since voters who are undecided or unsure tend to vote no.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsure

Adjective

Maybe that sounds counterintuitive to folks worried about how the Bears are going to supply their roster with high-end talent in the next couple of years, and there will be a host of needs on defense alone.

— Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Delawalla adds that many voters may also be worried about public health, particularly given the ongoing measles crisis and the summer’s cyclosporiasis outbreak.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Meyers' thinking is that as the odds go up of a Democratic party win, investors are getting more nervous about parts of the artificial intelligence trade.

— Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Later on, after the guests have left, this cheating convention makes Kaylee nervous.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

Ivan, the younger son, is doubtful and skeptical of his father, whereas Andrey, the elder, is faithful and trusting—the twin archetypes of man’s relation to the divine.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
He has been joined in recent years by tax-skeptical scholars at the Manhattan Institute and Tax Foundation.

— M. Nolan Gray, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

There was no upset this time in the season opener for TCU men’s basketball as the Horned Frogs rolled to a 98-59 win over Lindenwood Monday night at Schollmaier Arena.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
Hafley was naturally upset about Ollie Gordon’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that turned into a 3rd and 5 into a 3rd and 20 that the Dolphins didn’t convert during the Patriots’ 21-0 run.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

However, while return on investment for artificial intelligence remains uncertain, rising depreciation expenses from new data center buildouts present an additional drag on corporate profitability.

— , CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
An uncertain state holiday In early 2025, Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, and Darshana Patel, D-San Diego, introduced AB 268, also known as the Diwali Holiday Act.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of uncertain

Browse Nearby Words

hinging

hinky

hinnies

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“Hinky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hinky. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of hinky

adjective

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