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
  • The $1 million would come from the same pool of mostly property-tax dollars that fund police, jails, parks and transit.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • And the administration persuaded more and more local police and jails to carry out the president’s mass deportation campaign, sweeping still more immigrants into custody.
    — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 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
  • Mexico has 276 prisons, including 14 federal penitentiaries and 249 state prisons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Hodge says he was abused in multiple federal penitentiaries, but was frequently blocked from filing complaints about it.
    — Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of penitentiaries
Verb
  • While this sentiment rings true, there is a significant amount of precedent to suggest that not all tax hikes are created equal in the eyes of California voters.
    — Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Much like a tuning fork, the resonator also rings when struck.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of rings
Noun
  • The Israeli Supreme Court earlier this year ordered the government to resume sharing such lists and allowing the ICRC to visit detainees in Israeli prisons to assess their conditions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Flávio has promised to designate major criminal factions as terrorist groups, expand prisons and lower the age of criminal responsibility.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of prisons
Verb
  • The stock market has been volatile of late as a cocktail of elevated oil prices and persistent inflation rattles investors.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Down the street, metal striking concrete rattles the air as a repairman unloads a ladder.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

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 27 Oct. 2026.

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