plink

1 of 2

verb

ˈpliŋk How to pronounce plink (audio)
plinked; plinking; plinks
Synonyms of plinknext

intransitive verb

1
: to make a tinkling sound
2
: to shoot at random targets in an informal and noncompetitive manner

transitive verb

1
: to cause to make a tinkling sound
2
: to shoot at especially in a casual manner
plinker noun

plink

2 of 2

noun

: a tinkling metallic sound

Examples of plink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Here’s a kalimba, an African thumb piano with metal tines that plink like a music box. — Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2021 Fill up a glass with water, plink in a tablet, and your beverage will transform into a fizzy, frothy hydration drink. — Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
The plink of a piano wafted in from the Music Hall by the water’s edge, and on a nearby point, the American flag billowed in the breeze. — Lila Battis, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023 There’s also an experimental score by Daniel Blumberg made of bangs and piano plinks and noises that sound like a dozen balloons screaming. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for plink

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1941, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plink was in 1916

Rhymes for plink

See All Rhymes for plink

Browse Nearby Words

Plimsoll mark
plink
plinker
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plink. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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