What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
shins
Example
He kicked the ball with his shins. [shins: noun]
Example
She had bruises on her shins from the bike pedals. [shins: noun]
shank
Example
He suffered a fracture in his shank bone. [shank: noun]
Example
The restaurant served a delicious lamb shank. [shank: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shins is more commonly used than shank in everyday language, especially in sports and physical activity contexts. Shank is more commonly used in specific contexts such as cooking or medical terminology.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between shins and shank?
Shank is more likely to be used in formal or technical contexts, while shins is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
