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

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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

Victims’ families and experts are unsure the higher amounts will be enough to get tipsters to come forward, citing people's fears and distrust of the federal government.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Victims’ families and experts are unsure the higher amounts will be enough to get tipsters to come forward, citing people’s fears and distrust of the federal government.

— Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsure

Adjective

Why people don’t like it Some residents are worried about how these sprawling energy farms will affect local soil, especially near farmland.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
The drop in tech talent in the Bay Area comes as workers grow more worried that AI could lead to fewer jobs.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Luke Halls’ video and projections add another layer of visual unease, allowing screens and technology inside the home to become as suspicious as its shadowy corners.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
As Joan Acocella wrote for this magazine, in 2008, a suspicious number of cures happen to include alcohol as a main ingredient.

— Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of suspicious

Adjective

Until Bezos, or any of his new partners, speak publicly, the conversation about what comes next will be nervous.

— Simon Hughes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
In a nervous market full of geopolitical tension, IPOs have attracted a lot of investor attention, with AI darlings Anthropic and OpenAI preparing for their own debuts.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

The tie-up should help some skeptical investors grow more confident that Salesforce — thanks to troves of proprietary customer data housed within its applications — has a role to play in this new AI world.

— Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Price likened his attraction to the format to his early embrace of streaming entertainment back in the days when Hollywood remained skeptical of its staying power.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Adjective

Pasadena residents are upset after a bloodied peacock was found in their neighborhood last week after what appeared to be a violent encounter with a mail carrier.

— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Improved Digestion Bloating, constipation, acid reflux, upset stomach—all are uncomfortable signs of indigestion after eating.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

Why people are uncertain about vaccines Vaccine hesitancy is much more complicated than outright opposition to vaccines, Steier said.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Traditional business moats are eroding, exemplified by Chegg's collapse, as the market prices certainty into an inherently uncertain technology, causing unprecedented volatility and layoffs.

— Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of uncertain

Adjective

Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Super teams share prompts openly, coached by leaders who use the tools themselves, which leaves them markedly less anxious about AI displacing their jobs.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

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 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hinky

adjective

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