English vocabulary · B2
Inkling
/ˈɪŋ.klɪŋ/ · n.
It means a small hint or feeling that something may be true.
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Example sentences
- She had an inkling the project would fail before it started.
- I had no inkling you were planning a surprise.
Word origin and roots
from Middle English
- inklen — to whisper a hint (from Middle English)
Synonyms and nuances
- hint (a small clue points toward something)
- clue (evidence suggests a hidden answer)
- sense (instinct says something might be true)
Lesson notes
Inkling. It means a small hint or feeling that something may be true. You do not know for sure, but something tells you.
Similar words are hint, clue, and sense. Use inkling when you feel something is true but cannot fully explain why.
She had an inkling the project would fail before it started. I had no inkling you were planning a surprise.
From Middle English. Inklen means to whisper a hint. A quiet whisper inside your mind — that small feeling is an inkling.