clink 1 of 2

noun

Definition of clinknext
slang
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody I once spent a night in the clink, and it's an experience I don't want to repeat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clink

2 of 2

verb

ˈkliŋk How to pronounce clink (audio)
as in to jingle
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street

Synonyms & Similar 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 clink
Noun
The beer brand encourages users to exchange details or connect on social media with each clink. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026 As the bullet weight clinks and clacks along the bottom, bass will key in on your rig and follow it. — Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The central lobby space is a social scene abuzz with people enjoying formal afternoon tea, clinking glasses at the Champagne bar (rotating themes and partnerships add variety for locals) or tucking into meals at the dining room. — Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Avtan often won’t tell Paz anything about the source or meaning of her many samples, which can take the form of fragmented dialogue and what sounds like clinking kitchenware. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clink
  1. jail
  2. jingle
  3. prison
  4. tinkle
  5. penitentiary
  6. ring
  7. chink
  8. rattle
Noun
  • Hickey now owes $33,500 in fines and restitution plus 15 days in jail.
    — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The federal lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal filings brought by both former employees and jail residents that have accused Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden of poor leadership, inadequate inmate care and fostering a toxic workplace.
    — Amber Gaudet Updated August 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of jail
Verb
  • Just when things seemed too contentious and/or boring to a late-night viewer, Stewart knew when to jingle the keys in our face.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 July 2026
  • On the walls, a few pots hang from a copper rod, a dinner bell waits to be jingled, and an ancient clock keeps time.
    — Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 2 July 2026
Definition of jingle
Noun
  • In a rare judicial win in such cases, the client was handed 18 months in prison.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • During the week, Aikman continues his training through the Canine Companions prison puppy raising program at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth.
    — Nelly Carreño, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of prison
Verb
  • The small fragments of colorful glass, strung along together, produce soothing sounds, their tinkling notes wafting through the air alongside a chorus of windchimes and the sweet scent of plumeria blooming in the garden.
    — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • Food and drink Fontana restaurant is the main attraction here, with an inviting courtyard and a tinkling fountain lending a European feel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026
Definition of tinkle
Noun
  • Now locked up in a state penitentiary near San Diego on unrelated charges, Knight hasn't changed his tune.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • One of her clients has gone MIA from the state penitentiary – but how can a man go missing in prison?
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of penitentiary
Verb
  • On a bright May morning that year, a scream rang out along the reservoir’s popular beach spot, Hemenway Harbor.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • What also rang true for me was the way that, in the course of the season, Deborah said no to so many of the ideas her writers had supposedly submitted.
    — Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ring
Verb
  • The great room’s pale logs with visible chinking contrast with ultra white floors and drywall.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 25 May 2026
  • The halcyon days of chinking champagne flutes, spacious seating, and sense of adventure has long been replaced by the budget sardine-can approach to air travel.
    — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 1 May 2026
Definition of chink
Verb
  • Art DeRamus' nerves are still rattled after his Delaware home of 43 years was peppered with bullets in the middle of the night.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Parents at evacuation centers in the village said many children were afraid to return indoors and woke up frightened whenever aftershocks rattled the island.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of rattle

Browse Nearby Words

clinics
clink
clinked
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Cite this Entry

“Clink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clink. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of clink for Spanish Speakers

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