WordGarden.ioinky
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈɪŋki/
US
- /ˈɪŋki/
Meanings
Adjective
very dark or black like ink
Beyond the definition
Think of a stormy night sky, deep water at night, or a writer's fingers after using a pen for hours. These things can be described as inky. The word usually means very dark, like ink, often with a rich black or blue-black look. It can also mean marked or stained with ink. You might talk about inky darkness, an inky sea, or inky fingertips.
The word "inky" usually brings to mind the color and texture of ink. Most often, it describes something that is very dark, especially dark in a rich black or blue-black way rather than a flat, dull black. An inky sky, inky water, or inky darkness all suggest depth, shadow, and a smooth, heavy kind of darkness.
It can also be used in a more literal way for things that are stained or marked with ink. A student's fingers, a printer's hands, or a page with wet smudges on it might all be called inky. In this sense, the word does not just describe color; it suggests real contact with ink itself.
Sometimes the word has a slightly literary feel. Writers use it to make darkness seem more vivid and physical, as if it could spread or stain like liquid. That is why it often appears in descriptions of night, shadows, clouds, or the sea. The figurative sense is usually tied to darkness and mood, not to random hidden things.
So, if something looks dark like ink or is actually marked with ink, inky is a natural and vivid word for it.
Examples
- 1
Printer mishap
After fixing the printer, he looked down at his inky fingers.
- 2
Handwriting
She wrote the address in large, inky letters across the envelope.
- 3
Drawing style
Her sketchbook was full of inky lines and quick portraits.
- 4
Clothing stain
An inky stain spread across the cuff of his white shirt.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Dark water
By nine o'clock, the sea had turned inky under the fading light.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- inkyadjective