1
as in cramps
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
got a kink in my neck from lying in that awkward position for too long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in tricks
an odd or peculiar habit
the boss's fondness for nicknames is one of those kinks that staffers just have to put up with
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whims
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
whenever he got a kink in his head, he'd drop whatever he was doing to pursue this latest obsession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kinks
Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
What’s engaging is increasing the efficiency and ironing out the kinks.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The ceasefire is still working through kinks, as Hamas has refused to disarm despite the terms of the deal.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
But the offense that made history last year against the Bears is still working out some kinks to rediscover its identity.
—Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Miller is navigating through the kinks, continuing to get acclimated with the taping of his wrist — something he’s been instructed to do — and working through the rust associated with not playing in an actual competitive game for nine months.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
The kinks in the passing offense wouldn’t be as worrisome if the Eagles’ vaunted running game weren’t also enduring its own.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2025
So far, there have been six major build events this year that bring manufacturing employees from across GM’s operations to the virtual world to develop techniques and manage kinks on pre-pre-production vehicles.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 24 Sep. 2025
That’s why finding the best wavy hair products to enhance your kinks without weighing them down or leaving them frizzy feels like striking gold.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
For a start-up electric vehicle manufacturer (Rivian delivered its first vehicle in 2021), issues such as these are to be expected as the brand irons out the kinks in production and development.
—Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
What’s engaging is increasing the efficiency and ironing out the kinks.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
The ceasefire is still working through kinks, as Hamas has refused to disarm despite the terms of the deal.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
But the offense that made history last year against the Bears is still working out some kinks to rediscover its identity.
—Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Miller is navigating through the kinks, continuing to get acclimated with the taping of his wrist — something he’s been instructed to do — and working through the rust associated with not playing in an actual competitive game for nine months.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
The kinks in the passing offense wouldn’t be as worrisome if the Eagles’ vaunted running game weren’t also enduring its own.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2025
So far, there have been six major build events this year that bring manufacturing employees from across GM’s operations to the virtual world to develop techniques and manage kinks on pre-pre-production vehicles.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 24 Sep. 2025
That’s why finding the best wavy hair products to enhance your kinks without weighing them down or leaving them frizzy feels like striking gold.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kinks
Noun
-
Herman, who left the game for two plays with cramps, scored on a 43-yard run, sweeping to the right end and scoring untouched, The final LCC score came on a 40-yard interception return by Ethan Polloreno.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Jackson played 16 minutes the final half, running the show with freshman sensation Darryn Peterson (26 points, five steals, two assists, six turnovers, four rebounds) playing just 10 of the final 20 minutes because of cramps.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Halloween’s history, from tricks to treats Halloween is rooted in the ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, marking the harvest and coming winter – and few know the shortcomings of the cold more than Minnesotans.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Critic Dwight Macdonald later wrote that Keaton’s singular screen-in-screen transformation made similar tricks by Surrealist giants Dalí, Buñuel, and Cocteau timid by comparison.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But Netanyahu was beholden for his political future to the radical minority that supported it, and constantly catered to their whims.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Aside from anything else, supporter sentiment can be overwhelming; far more difficult to head off than the whims of journalists.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
An American traveler’s observations about everyday Italian home quirks have gone viral on TikTok.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
It’s been updated with a more convenient save system and 3D compatibility, eliminating some of the original game’s quirks.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But Interview With the Vampire set a precedent for transformative TV from the Immortal Universe, its narrative and visual audacity subverting adaptation tropes and genre storytelling by challenging viewers’ notions of immortality, sexuality, and destiny.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Contrary to the previous notions about our youth, their inherent power and unidentified skillsets could put them in a position to change their own lives, with the proper guidance.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As America’s capital of both wine production and pleasant weather, California has any number of towns that capture this experience, each with distinguishing characteristics that suit different types of travelers.—
Justin Goldman,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Sadly, the Volvo EX30 missed its moment to be great, but retains some appealing characteristics.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The public ones are subject to the vagaries of Wall Street.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Given the Rockies’ track record — seven consecutive losing seasons and just five playoff appearances in 33 years — and the challenges and vagaries of playing baseball at a mile above sea level, the job of rebuilding the franchise might seem undesirable for many.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Imagine reaching Mars only to collapse from exhaustion, or facing an invisible killer that warps your DNA.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The text, too, warps the truth.—
Jillian Steinhauer,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kinks. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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