kinky

adjective

ˈkiŋ-kē 

kinkier; kinkiest

1

: closely twisted or curled

2

: relating to, having, or appealing to unconventional tastes especially in sex

also : sexually deviant

3

: outlandish, far-out

kinkily

ˈkiŋ-kə-lē 

adverb

kinkiness

ˈkiŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bizarre
• strange
• weird
• funny
• curious
• odd
• peculiar
• erratic
• crazy
• eccentric
• remarkable
• unusual

Examples of kinky in a Sentence

She says her boyfriend is a little kinky.

while passing through the airport, don't wear any kinky clothing that is likely to pique the interest of security

Recent Examples on the Web

The brand has a stellar reputation for offering a hydrated lineup of products made with coily, curly, and kinky textures in mind—and this scalp scrub is no different. —Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 12 Aug. 2025

Vlad was born in Transylvania, a region in central Romania that has since become synonymous with bloodsucking, fake fangs, and all kinds of content and merchandise, from billion-dollar Hollywood franchises to kinky Halloween costumes. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025

Val Kilmer makes for a pretty middle-of-the-road Batman — not as painfully miscast as George Clooney, but not as delightfully kinky as Michael Keaton. —Devan Coggan, EW.com, 3 Aug. 2025

Many Black women straighten their naturally curly or kinky hair so mainstream employers will perceive them as professional. —Jason Wingard, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for kinky

• dinky
• inky
• pinkie
• pinky
• slinky
• stinky

Kids Definition

kinky

adjective

ˈkiŋ-kē 

kinkier; kinkiest

1

: tightly twisted or curled

2

: very strange or odd

kinkiness noun