kitchen sink

¹ American  

noun

1. the final item imaginable on any extensive list of usually disparate items.

   He packed everything for his trip except the kitchen sink.

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kitchen-sink ² American  

[kich-uhn-singk] / ˈkɪtʃ ənˈsɪŋk /

adjective

1. marked by an indiscriminate and omnivorous use of elements.

   a kitchen-sink approach to moviemaking.

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kitchen sink British  

noun

1. a sink in a kitchen for washing dishes, vegetables, etc

2. everything that can be conceived of

3. (modifier) denoting a type of drama or painting of the 1950s depicting the sordid aspects of domestic reality

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Etymology

Origin of kitchen sink¹

1870–75, for literal sense

Origin of kitchen-sink²

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

“The administration may throw the kitchen sink at the market to try and fix housing,” he said.

From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025

One morning last year, John Gladwin opened the cupboard under his kitchen sink and discovered a bag of soil he'd been storing there was torn to shreds.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

No one is writing social media sonnets about eating a yellow squash over the kitchen sink while wearing their ex’s oversized T-shirt, still scented with a perfume they stopped wearing last fall.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2025

When Ali beat Foreman in their only meeting in Zaire, he hit Ali with everything, including the kitchen sink, for seven exhausting rounds.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2025

The next day I go to Cuddledown and look under the kitchen sink.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart