tinny

[ tin-ee ]

See synonyms for tinny on Thesaurus.com

adjective,tin·ni·er, tin·ni·est.

of or like tin.
containing tin.

lacking in timbre or resonance; sounding thin or twangy: a tinny piano.
not strong or durable; flimsy; shoddy.
having the taste of tin.

Origin of tinny

First recorded in 1545–55; tin + -y¹

Other words from tinny

tin·ni·ly, adverb
tin·ni·ness, noun

Words Nearby tinny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tinny in a sentence

You may remember a toy called Hit Clips, which offered up tinny-sounding snippets of pop songs on tiny toy cartridges that only worked in specific players.
Lego’s new toy lets kids make music videos in augmented reality | Stan Horaczek | February 16, 2021 | Popular-Science
No matter how many impressive features speakers have, if the sound is even remotely tinny, you can do better.
Best computer speakers: Make music, video chats, and more a whole lot clearer | Jeremy Helligar | January 12, 2021 | Popular-Science
Those are good for allowing wearers to hear their environments, but the sound can be tinny and unnatural.
Bose built a new kind of workout earbud to keep you safe while you sweat | Stan Horazek | January 5, 2021 | Popular-Science
The controller microphone’s sound quality is great, but the speakers are tinny, making your friend’s voice sound like it’s coming through an old cellphone.
PlayStation 5 review: PS5 is a sensory game-changer | Elise Favis | November 6, 2020 | Washington Post
The sound from the speakers is somewhat tinny and awkwardly loud for people in the room who may be facing the back of the screen.
NordicTrack’s connected workout bike puts the focus on competing against yourself | Stan Horaczek | October 15, 2020 | Popular-Science

People listen to it on tinny cellphone speakers that are entirely inferior to what they had in lo-tech times of yore.
Comedy Is His Calling: The Brilliance of Billy Crystal | Tom Shales | April 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
A few tinny messages on the value of courage and the evils of greed remain, but the decision was wise.
Jaws’s Anniversary: Newsweek’s 1975 Review | Arthur Cooper | June 20, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
And when he tried to strike a sympathetic note with “people who are looking for work,” it came off as tinny and flat.
Why Mitt Romney Is Winning, and Rick Perry Is Losing | Andrew Romano | January 3, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
When he flew to the back of a chair and perched upon it, his tin feathers rattled against one another with a tinny clatter.
The Tin Woodman of Oz | L. Frank Baum
Beyond, the wired tennis-courts give forth a musical, tinny note when attacked.
Murder in Any Degree | Owen Johnson
There was a tinny scream, and a six-inch needle shot up instantly through the surface.
The Judas Valley | Gerald Vance
He struck the yellow-keyed piano a vicious blow, producing a tinny and complaining sound.
Jill the Reckless | P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
Alan put down his fork with a sharp tinny clang and stared levelly at the First Officer.
Starman's Quest | Robert Silverberg

British Dictionary definitions for tinny

tinny

/ (ˈtɪnɪ) /

adjective-nier or -niest

of, relating to, or resembling tin
cheap, badly made, or shoddy

(of a sound) high, thin, and metallic
(of food or drink) flavoured with metal, as from a container
Australian informal lucky

nounplural -nies

Australian slang a can of beer
Also: tinnie Australian informal a small fishing or pleasure boat with an aluminium hull

Derived forms of tinny

tinnily, adverb
tinniness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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