tinkle
Americanverb (used without object)
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tinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
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tinkled,
past participle, past
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tinkling
present participle
-
to give forth or make a succession of short, light, ringing sounds, as a small bell.
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to run one's fingers lightly over a keyboard instrument or to play such an instrument simply or badly.
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Baby Talk. to urinate.
verb (used with object)
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tinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
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tinkled,
past participle, past
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tinkling
present participle
-
to cause to tinkle or jingle.
The goat tinkled its bell every time it raised its head. Who's tinkling the piano?
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to make known, call attention to, attract, or summon by tinkling.
noun
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tinkles
plural
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a tinkling sound or tune.
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an act or instance of tinkling.
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Informal. a telephone call.
Give me a tinkle before you leave for Europe.
verb
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to ring or cause to ring with a series of high tinny sounds, like a small bell
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(tr) to announce or summon by such a ringing
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informal (intr) to urinate
noun
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a high clear ringing sound
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the act of tinkling
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informal a telephone call
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tinklesimple
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tinklessimple
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have tinkledperfect
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has tinkledperfect
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am tinklingprogressive
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are tinklingprogressive
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is tinklingprogressive
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have been tinklingperfect progressive
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has been tinklingperfect progressive
Past
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tinkledsimple
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had tinkledperfect
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was tinklingprogressive
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were tinklingprogressive
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had been tinklingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tinkle
1350–1400; Middle English tynclen, frequentative of tinken to clink; imitative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A heavy quiet hangs over Theofilou's farm in the absence of the bleats from the sheep and the tinkle of their bells.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
Rumours that Taylor Swift would turn up and tinkle the ivories were shot down by Grammy producer Ben Winston.
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
This is not a concert in which the lead singer will occasionally tinkle the ivories for effect.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2025
But the darned toy has been blaring “Swan Lake” since “Ballerina” started and, to our annoyance, it’ll tinkle a few more times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2025
“The sound of men stamping overhead as they run about. There is the creaking of a chain, and the loud tinkle as the check of the capstan falls into the rachet.”
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
There’s only so many ways to make guitar tinkles.
From The Verge ● Sep. 15, 2021
Your eyes dart from package to package as the theme song from “The Little Mermaid” tinkles in the background.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2021
Natalie realises she needs to open her heart and in come those tell-tale piano tinkles.
From The Guardian ● May 28, 2019
The music drones and burbles, tinkles and undulates, taking its time and lingering over instrumental stretches as if people are still willing to experience a whole album from start to finish.
From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2018
With his face burning and his head bowed, he walked through court after court, hearing that voice roaring ahead of him, hearing tinkles of laughter on every side.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
She finished without incident in 1 minute, 14.30 seconds and stood alone for a few seconds as a cowbell tinkled and a television camera focused on her from a few feet away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2022
And, music to my little ears, ice cubes tinkled cocktail glasses to the tune of Perry Como singing “Silent Night.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 21, 2021
Michael Jackson, we just sat upstairs in this office and I tinkled on the piano and we just made up a song there.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2017
A giant Christmas tree stood in the corner, music tinkled happily, and the adults milled around drinking.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 26, 2017
On the table there was a little Japanese pagoda with glass pendants that tinkled with strange musical tones in a draught.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Jefferson’s default prose is 18th-century elevator music, clear and tinkling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
I wish it sounded like tinkling bells and xylophones.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026
Step closer and you hear the contraption appearing to breathe, a tinkling sound like wind chimes emanating from the cooling mechanism that keeps its innards colder than outer space.
From Barron's ● Dec. 10, 2025
The tinkling of piano keys can be heard from a single-storey workshop.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2025
Brigit lobbed another shoe in his direction, and he cartwheeled out of the way, the little jingles on his hat tinkling.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
