Twinking is a type of behavior in role-playing games that is disapproved of by other players. A player who engages in such behavior is known as a twink. The precise definition of twinking varies depending on the variety of role-playing game:

• In "pen and paper" role-playing games, a twink is often synonymous with a munchkin, i.e. a powergamer who seeks to acquire power and loot at the expense of their teammates.
• In MUDs – Multi-User Dungeons or Domains –a twink is a player who is variously anything from a munchkin to a newbie (new player) to a griefer, or a bad faith player.
• In massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, twinking refers to a character gaining equipment with the assistance of a higher level character, particularly by giving the low-level character higher level equipment that is otherwise unattainable. It can also be used to describe the process of keeping a video game character at a low level while using in-game currency, earned by a high-level character, to provide it with superior equipment.

A related term, smurfing also exists. Often used in video gaming, smurfing describes a situation in which "a highly-skilled player creates a secondary account as a disguise to play against less proficient opponents." The term originates from two Warcraft II players employing the strategy under the names "Papa Smurf" and "Smurfette".