1
as in cramps
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
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2
as in tricks
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 whims
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kinks
Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
In most materials, kinks face energy barriers that hold them in place.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Mar. 2026
But there are kinks that need to be worked out, including some plot hysterics (a burning of a house is too over the top) that throw it off its comedy tracks.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Al-Rashid has an opportunity to iron out the kinks before spending substantially more cash on his dream boat.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
As for relaxation, the lodge has a heated outdoor pool, fire pits, and a full-service spa to work out those post-ski kinks.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
My now-husband and I were newly a couple and still working out the kinks and crumples in an evolving relationship.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera and Kent Lee, who initially backed the fees, urged Gloria to pause them until the kinks are worked out of the system.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
The hope is that administrators worked out all the kinks from the last time the school system went remote, which resulted in a systemwide crash.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
Students in the class this semester are redesigning the AI agent to smooth out some kinks, and Ipeirotis plans to use it in all his future classes.
—Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
In most materials, kinks face energy barriers that hold them in place.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Mar. 2026
But there are kinks that need to be worked out, including some plot hysterics (a burning of a house is too over the top) that throw it off its comedy tracks.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Al-Rashid has an opportunity to iron out the kinks before spending substantially more cash on his dream boat.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
As for relaxation, the lodge has a heated outdoor pool, fire pits, and a full-service spa to work out those post-ski kinks.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
My now-husband and I were newly a couple and still working out the kinks and crumples in an evolving relationship.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera and Kent Lee, who initially backed the fees, urged Gloria to pause them until the kinks are worked out of the system.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
The hope is that administrators worked out all the kinks from the last time the school system went remote, which resulted in a systemwide crash.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kinks
Noun
-
People may develop severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Eagles credited their stamina in their 41 to 14 victory to drinking pickle juice, which helped prevent dehydration and muscle cramps.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tiffany has a few tricks up its sleeve that aren’t jewelry or limited-edition chronograph, one of which is this shapely teapot.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Maybe the tricks learned during this trial can help drivers form some better, cheaper habits to continue when gas prices inevitably decrease again.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Every deportation should be based on immigration law, not the whims of ICE nor those of the president.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Uniting best practices in public health and offering further support and coordination to the community violence intervention community, an office would serve as a Chicago department with a set strategy that would not change according to political winds or mayoral whims.—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Part of the beauty in these bonds is the ability to be truly seen and known—quirks and all.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That included removing, repairing and replacing the building’s tin roof tiles — which look like clay — and maintaining the original window casings, matching the stucco and preserving quirks like porthole windows.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Advice or even just notions—only check email after noon; never do 10 reps of crunches—solidify into absolutism or vanish.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For years, Ye had been obsessed with notions of Jewish villainy, while also identifying himself with Adolf Hitler and Nazis.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dry all surfaces completely and replace knobs, drip pans, and coils back on the stove.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The interface of the desktop website version includes key mission milestones and characteristics about the moon, including information about landing sites during the Apollo era.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Hegseth exhibits those characteristics, and our soldiers finally have someone to follow.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There were plenty of ordinary and dismissive explanations for what had happened, all related to the vagaries of the brain.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, those close to him have felt that there have been some vagaries around his role within the team since his arrival.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kinks. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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