slinks

present tense third-person singular of slink
as in lurks
to move about in a sly or secret manner like a thief slinking about in the middle of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 slinks Claypool’s voice, formerly a sharp and declarative figure in the mix, slinks down into silty waters, often unintelligible and almost always emotionally ambiguous. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026 Anne slinks off with her husband. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 Route 128 slinks through the folds of Anderson Valley like a slow river, past vineyards clinging to hillsides and orchards heavy with apple blossoms come spring. — Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 The main draws are the nods to its Soviet influence, like the metro system that slinks below the streets and the hypnotizing Hotel Uzbekistan, the city’s finest brutalist monument. — Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slinks
Verb
  • The Spurs superstar lurks down low near the basket, allowing guards to pressure aggressively on the perimeter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Clements sets the scene with lively pop music and excellent period-specific costuming, though darkness lurks beneath the funky 1970s groove.
    — Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Owen Wilson plays an overprotective dad who sneaks his 13-year-old son (Christian Convery) into the festival.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The titular bed trick refers to the literary device, beloved by Shakespeare and by opera buffa, in which a lover sneaks into a bed and, under cover of darkness, is taken for someone else.
    — S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Protection for the moment someone slips The report recommends building stronger authentication into onboarding.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The consideration worth making when delegating this is who has the credibility to hold the rest of the organization accountable when CRM hygiene slips or definitions get quietly reinterpreted.
    — Kylie Fuentes, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slinks. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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