as in jingling
to make a repeated sharp light ringing sound
coins clinking in his pocket as he traipsed down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clinking
The trek up the swinging staircase, twinkle lights clinking with each step, had my heart pounding for more reason than one.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
The photo, which is embedded above, shows the three leading ladies Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara clinking glasses with cheerful looks on their faces.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The clip showed the pair clinking spoons and laughing together, turning what began as a brief welfare check into a relaxed exchange between neighbors passing time during the outage.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Picture a bunch of people descending in private jets to eat steak and appear on panels about alleviating poverty and fighting climate change (among other noble goals), while clinking cocktail glasses with other fellow rich people in an effort to make one another even richer.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Servers were trading off shifts and the bar was clinking away.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
So the pair took a romp through wine country for Christina’s birthday, clinking glasses at Progeny Winery in Napa Valley and Restoration Hardware in Yountville.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Later on, the younger kids in bed, a gathering of lawn chairs, clinking ice, and summer crickets or cicadas, frogs, whatever, Ray, what is that?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Where to Eat Linger for hours on the patio at Lakeside Chophouse, clinking glasses of Vinho Verde and watching deer saunter by.
—Shilo Urban, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
The photo, which is embedded above, shows the three leading ladies Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara clinking glasses with cheerful looks on their faces.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The clip showed the pair clinking spoons and laughing together, turning what began as a brief welfare check into a relaxed exchange between neighbors passing time during the outage.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Picture a bunch of people descending in private jets to eat steak and appear on panels about alleviating poverty and fighting climate change (among other noble goals), while clinking cocktail glasses with other fellow rich people in an effort to make one another even richer.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Servers were trading off shifts and the bar was clinking away.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
So the pair took a romp through wine country for Christina’s birthday, clinking glasses at Progeny Winery in Napa Valley and Restoration Hardware in Yountville.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Later on, the younger kids in bed, a gathering of lawn chairs, clinking ice, and summer crickets or cicadas, frogs, whatever, Ray, what is that?
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Where to Eat Linger for hours on the patio at Lakeside Chophouse, clinking glasses of Vinho Verde and watching deer saunter by.
—Shilo Urban, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinking
Verb
-
The hiker then begins jingling bells in the bear's face in an attempt to scare it off, but the bear charges forward.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
School rules now insignificant—even to Walsh, who stands hands in his pockets, jingling his keys.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Amrava is the elegant bar in the courtyard of the Palace wing, with a tinkling fountain outside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The marbled, frescoed, octagonal room was domed to amplify the sound of a tinkling keys at the center, and hosted regular recitals.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Wedding bells are ringing for Harry Styles and Zoë Kravitz.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The volume was loud – at least one listener’s ears were ringing four hours after the concert ended – but Springsteen’s is one of the few rock acts whose music literally demands such auditory excess (most groups use volume to mask mediocrity).—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That includes the stories behind the backboard-rattling dunks and blocks on the basketball court.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Though brief, Yoon’s martial law decree threw the country into a severe political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinking. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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