clinks 1 of 2

noun

plural of clink, slang
as in jails
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clinks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of clink
as in tinkles
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 clinks
Verb
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 Each robot, remotely operated, clinks glasses and gestures in unison, embodying the camaraderie and hope of the musical’s revolutionaries. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinks
  1. jails
  2. tinkles
  3. penitentiaries
  4. rings
  5. prisons
  6. rattles
  7. brigs
  8. chimes
Noun
  • When women tried to march for their rights, they were violently suppressed, and by 2023, nearly all those in Afghan jails were political prisoners, and many were tortured.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Filling empty beds The national incarceration rate – which includes both jails, for short-term detention, and prisons, for sentences of more than a year – has more or less crept downward since 2010.
    — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of jails
Verb
  • As the hotel’s doorman, complete with top hat and tails, opens the door to its opulent lobby and a piano player tinkles keys in the distance, that dream solidifies into reality.
    — Rob LeDonne, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2024
Definition of tinkles
Noun
  • Hodge says he was abused in multiple federal penitentiaries, but was frequently blocked from filing complaints about it.
    — Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
  • This includes providing the Colombian military more leeway in the field, signing a new security agreement with Washington and building 10 mega-prisons that mimic Bukele’s network of penitentiaries in El Salvador.
    — Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Definition of penitentiaries
Verb
  • Norway’s new King Haakon VIII will be hoping that sentiment rings true following the death of his father, King Harald who died Friday after 35 years on the throne, marking the latest blow for a family reeling from scandal.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There are various reasons that rings true for professionals looking to become leaders.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rings
Noun
  • Burnham also faces pressure over Britain’s overcrowded prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Death by medical neglect in Belarusian prisons is well documented.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of prisons
Verb
  • All agree that police abuse of the ALPR system, such as in Milwaukee, rattles the public’s trust.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
  • As Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence boom powers America’s economy, rattles its job market, and shapes its national security priorities, political leaders are struggling for traction on how the government should seek to engage the technology, if at all.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of rattles
Noun
  • Cruise ships have brigs – or onboard jails – where they may be held, or they could be confined to their cabins, The Points Guy reported.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of brigs
Verb
  • That chimes with the European Central Bank's ambition of a single banking jurisdiction, with capital and liquidity able to move freely within cross-border groups and depositors enjoying equal protection.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Galeotti explains that in a weaponized world, there is permanent chaos and constant battles, something that chimes with what is unfolding at the World Cup.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Definition of chimes

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clinking
clinks
clip
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Cite this Entry

“Clinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinks. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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