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
  • Reports also describe people in prisons and jails around the country being routinely beaten, among other abuse.
    — Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Several other contractors’ jails and treatment centers across the state are referenced by name in the lawsuit.
    — Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 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
  • Much like a tuning fork, the resonator also rings when struck.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Well, that promise now rings hollow in the ears of every TSA worker today.
    — Hydrick Thomas, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of rings
Noun
  • Reports also describe people in prisons and jails around the country being routinely beaten, among other abuse.
    — Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The lawsuit over healthcare for incarcerated people covers Arizona’s nine state-run prisons but not the nearly 10,000 Arizona inmates held in private prisons.
    — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of prisons
Verb
  • Continue reading … HOPE RENEWED — Savannah Guthrie's mom still missing as chilling tip rattles cold case.
    — , FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • This isn’t a delicate plastic novelty that rattles at high volume.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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