rinky-dink

adjective

Definition of rinky-dinknext
as in antiquated

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 rinky-dink Despite the anodyne cinematography, special effects that look rinky-dink compared to Oppenheimer, and a color palette more suited to an episode of The A-Team than serious cinema, the movie really scared me. — Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025 Unfortunately, the rinky-dink webcam built into your laptop cannot come close to competing with your handset. — PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2025 This is not going to be some rinky-dink 80-minute sketch show. — Jeff Conway, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Only the majesty of the West was good enough for them—they'd never deign to spend a weekend on one of the rinky-dink mountains of the Northeast. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2022 See All Example Sentences for rinky-dink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rinky-dink
  1. antiquated
  2. quaint
  3. obsolete
  4. old-time
  5. retro
  6. old-world
  7. old-fashioned
  8. old-school
Adjective
  • Comptroller Brooke Lierman acknowledged that Maryland needed to improve its return rate and modernize its antiquated systems.
    — Mark Lewyn, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Dust ruffles may have gone the way of the dodo after their heyday in the maximalist ’80s, but the absolute best bed skirts (done up in cottagecore ginghams and frothy sateens) are putting the antiquated bed dressing back on the map.
    — Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • The quaint two-bedroom bungalow oozes vintage vibe with its 1930s-style decor, antiques, and bits of Andy Griffithmemorabilia throughout—the lemon-yellow kitchen feels like a sunny embodiment of Mayberry itself.
    — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
  • According to the book’s official synopsis, the mystery novel is set in the summer of 1910 in the quaint English market town of Haxford, where detective Scorbion is called to investigate a series of murders.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of quaint
Adjective
  • My book is about a cult of Silicon Valley billionaires who believe that in the 21st century, technology will make democracy obsolete.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • An annual audit separates what strengthens your value from what may be becoming obsolete.
    — Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • On just one unchanging set, an old-time concert hall designed by Rachel Hauck and made appropriately ominous, a tiny ensemble enacts a whole Greek tragedy of love and sacrifice that goes from the land of the living to the underworld and back.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • Beyond the coasters, Cedar Point evokes an old-time Americana spirit as the second-oldest amusement park in the country (the oldest being the delightful Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut).
    — Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026
Definition of old-time
Adjective
  • Adorned with retro wooden paneling, flashes of pistachio-green and pink Formica, and architectural murals that reimagine the glass decoration of Milan’s famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping emporium, the space evokes a classic Milanese café.
    — Amy Bradford, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The Sperry Authentic Original 2-eye Jelly Boat Shoes are a playful spin on the classic boat shoe, with a retro transparent coating and nautically-inspired laces.
    — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of retro
Adjective
  • Wander through the streets of Tbilisi, where old-world charm meets modern style.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That substance shows up in the little things that elevate a big house into a memorable one — intricate millwork, triple crown molding and custom touches that give the home a cohesive, old-world richness rather than a patchwork of trends.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of old-world
Adjective
  • The 1,800-square-foot Encinitas location, modeled after the company’s flagship in Costa Mesa, is designed to resemble a 1950s-style diner, complete with chrome accents and an old-fashioned pie case.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
  • Advocates argued that decades of studies had identified the most effective ways to teach reading, which included teaching kids to sound out words using old-fashioned phonics, while emphasizing vocabulary and comprehension.
    — Lisa Chambers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of old-fashioned
Adjective
  • There’s a little bit of an old-school feel with a new-school approach.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026
  • At one end are old-school flip phones, popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, that handle calls and texts but little else.
    — Maya Blackstone, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of old-school

Browse Nearby Words

ring up
rinky-dink
rinse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rinky-dink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rinky-dink. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All