noun

dink

dihngk

Dink (noun) means a softly hit shot in tennis, padel, or pickleball that just clears the net. Example: “She won the point with a delicate dink over the net.”

noun

A softly hit shot in tennis, padel, or pickleball that just clears the net.

"She won the point with a delicate dink over the net."

(informal) A foolish or contemptible person.

"Stop acting like such a dink."

verb

To play a soft, gentle shot rather than hitting hard.

"He dinked the ball just past the service line."

How to use dink

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA gentle, soft-touch shot in racquet sports — or, informally, an insult for someone annoying or foolish.

Common mistake

The sports sense (a soft touch shot) and the insult sense are unrelated in modern use; context makes clear which is meant.

Common pairings

hit a dink dink shot dink it over the net

Word forms

dinked past tense, dinked past tense, dinks plural, dinks plural, dinks plural, dinks plural, dinks singular, dinks singular

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She won the point with a delicate _____ over the net.

Etymology

An imitative word from 1930s American English, echoing the light "dink" sound of a soft tap.

· First attested 1930

Class of 1930 dink joined the language around 1930.

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Synonyms

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drop shot

Rhymes for dink

ink pink link mink sink wink kink fink rink tink bink drink

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Frequently asked questions

What does “dink” mean?

The word “dink” means a softly hit shot in tennis, padel, or pickleball that just clears the net. In plain terms, a gentle, soft-touch shot in racquet sports — or, informally, an insult for someone annoying or foolish.

How do you pronounce “dink”?

“Dink” is pronounced dihngk (/dɪŋk/ in IPA).

How do you use “dink” in a sentence?

Here is “dink” used in a sentence: “She won the point with a delicate dink over the net.”

What part of speech is “dink”?

Depending on how it is used, “dink” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “dink” come from?

The word “dink” dates back to around 1930. An imitative word from 1930s American English, echoing the light "dink" sound of a soft tap.

How many meanings does “dink” have?

“Dink” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a softly hit shot in tennis, padel, or pickleball that just clears the net.