1
as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
got a kink in my neck from lying in that awkward position for too long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
the boss's fondness for nicknames is one of those kinks that staffers just have to put up with
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
whenever he got a kink in his head, he'd drop whatever he was doing to pursue this latest obsession
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 kink
Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
The Marlins started testing this strategy in the minors at the beginning of the 2025 season, working through the kinks before debuting it in the majors in mid-September.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
The container should be big enough to accommodate the roots without bending or kinking them.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kink
Noun
The hose needs to lay out in a smooth line without kinks; not all hoses will work.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
The Marlins started testing this strategy in the minors at the beginning of the 2025 season, working through the kinks before debuting it in the majors in mid-September.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Each attachment can connect to an extra-long, 22-foot hose that doesn’t kink, and is flexible enough to easily maneuver around obstacles and corners.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2026
The container should be big enough to accommodate the roots without bending or kinking them.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kink
Noun
-
To complain about cramps was futile.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
Menstrual cramps occur when the myometrium contracts to expel the uterine lining.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Winston makes a cameo to execute another electric Ford Field trick play, and the Giants lose a close one with their offense starting to find a new gear.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
Sophisticated as chatbots’ responses may be, they are stitched together from statistical patterns in large datasets—an impressive trick but one that still falls short of the breadth and reliability in human-level clinical reasoning.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The league has conformed to The King’s whims.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
By their very nature, pop-ups are fluid and subject to the whims of weather.—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Some come out the other side of illness, but most loop through an unpredictable whirlpool, at times within sight of shore, at other moments spinning back out to sea.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
In the months since the warehouse purchase, DHS has failed to loop Social Circle officials into the planning conversations, the town says.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Ensuring 100% availability is the stitch in time for strengthening the storage infrastructure for business continuity.—
Eric Herzog,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
The brutal wipeout required more than 100 stitches — and tentatively ended Johnson’s professional surfing ambitions.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The Tennessee Titans went back to the streets quizzing random people in their schedule reveal in a twist to the team’s 2023 schedule reveal.—
Teresa M. Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
These creators made that knowledge far more accessible, producing educational content on everything from building a washday routine and transitioning from relaxers to mastering styles like twist-outs.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Ron Harper, who manages OTD Ticket Defenders Legal Service, points out that pavement temperatures can exceed 150 degrees Fahrenheit at this time of year—that's hot enough to warp metal and disintegrate tires.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Ahimsa won't warp, stain, crack, fray or need constant replacing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
This compression of the purchase funnel is now the defining characteristic of modern fashion commerce, separating market leaders from those struggling to keep pace.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
One of the defining characteristics of Nicole Wise’s first season as the Mater Dei softball coach surfaced again Thursday.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kink. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
