Hinky — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈhiŋ-kē/ hin·ky

Meaning & Definition of Hinky

Hinky (adjective)

  1. nervous, jittery
  2. suspicious

Hinky (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something

    "the cop was feeling hinky about the whole situation and was starting to think that it was a setup"

    similar: distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, on the fence
    related: ambivalent, conflicted, equivocal, diffident, insecure, halting, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, vacillating, wavering
    opposite: certain, convinced, positive, sure
    near: assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, decisive, determined, resolute

  2. feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

    "after noticing that the driver seemed hinky, the border guard demanded that he submit to an inspection of his vehicle"

    similar: aflutter, antsy, anxious, atwitter, dithery, edgy, goosey, het up, hung up, ill at ease, insecure, jittery, jumpy, nervous, nervy, perturbed, queasy, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, worried, keyed up, on edge, on pins and needles, on tenterhooks
    related: aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed, freaked, freaked-out, shook-up, apprehensive, foreboding, hesitant, misgiving, fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed, qualmish, qualmy, flustered, twittered, undone, unnerved, unstrung, obsessed, preoccupied, restless, fidgety, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, hypertense, skittish, spooky
    opposite: calm, collected, cool, easy, happy-go-lucky, nerveless, relaxed
    near: confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure, controlled, self-controlled

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Hinky

The most common words with a similar meaning to Hinky:

distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, aflutter, antsy, anxious, atwitter, dithery, edgy, goosey, het up, hung up, ill at ease, insecure, jittery, jumpy, nervous, nervy, perturbed, queasy, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, worried, on the fence, keyed up, on edge, on pins and needles

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Hinky

Words with the opposite meaning of Hinky:

certain, convinced, positive, sure, calm, collected, cool, easy, happy-go-lucky, nerveless, relaxed

Related Words for Hinky

ambivalent, conflicted, equivocal, diffident, halting, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, vacillating, wavering, aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed, freaked, freaked-out, shook-up, apprehensive, foreboding, misgiving, fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed, qualmish, qualmy, flustered

Near Antonyms of Hinky

assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, decisive, determined, resolute, self-confident, controlled, self-controlled

Word Forms of Hinky

Inflections: hinkier, hinkiest

Origin & Etymology of Hinky

alteration of argot hincty suspicious

First known use: 1956

Frequently Asked Questions about Hinky

What does "Hinky" mean?

"Hinky" means nervous, jittery. As an adjective, it is defined as: nervous, jittery. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Hinky"?

Other words for "Hinky" include distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless and uncertain. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Hinky" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Hinky"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Hinky". Common alternatives include distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced and undecided.

What is the opposite of "Hinky"?

Antonyms of "Hinky" include certain, convinced, positive, sure, calm, collected, cool and easy. Near antonyms include assured, confident, sanguine and self-assured.

How do you use "Hinky" in a sentence?

Examples of "Hinky" in a sentence: "the cop was feeling hinky about the whole situation and was starting to think that it was a setup"; "after noticing that the driver seemed hinky, the border guard demanded that he submit to an inspection of his vehicle".

Is "Hinky" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Hinky" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Hinky"?

"Hinky" is pronounced /ˈhiŋ-kē/ and divided into syllables as hin·ky.

What is the origin of the word "Hinky"?

"Hinky" comes from alteration of argot hincty suspicious. First known use: 1956.