Types of Kinks & Fetishes
104 commonly discussed kink types across 10 families: 26 roles (who you are in a dynamic) and 78 practices (what actually happens). Nothing here is explicit, and nothing here is a recommendation — it is the vocabulary you need before you can say what you do and do not want.
Kink, fetish, and BDSM are not three words for the same thing
Kink is the umbrella: any erotic interest that sits outside what a particular culture treats as conventional. Its edges move, which is why no list of kink types is ever final. BDSM and fetish both live under that umbrella, and they overlap each other without being the same shape.
All BDSM is kink; most kink is not BDSM. A fetish can sit inside BDSM, beside it, or nowhere near it. Getting these three words straight is what makes the 104 entries below readable instead of overwhelming.
- Kink
- The umbrella term. Any erotic interest, preference, or activity outside what a particular culture treats as conventional.e.g. Enjoying being restrained, watched, or given orders.
- BDSM
- One region under that umbrella: bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism.e.g. A negotiated scene where one person leads and one yields.
- Fetish
- Narrower than kink: arousal tied to one specific object, material, body part, or scenario — sometimes needed rather than simply enjoyed.e.g. Latex, boots, or feet specifically, rather than generally.
Where the circles overlap, something is both — a latex hood worn in a D/s scene.
The boundaries are conventions, not clinical categories. People routinely hold interests in more than one circle.
Before you scroll the list
Curious, fantasy-only, or ready to talk about it?
A list of kink types names possible interests. It cannot tell you which ones belong in your life. Interest, fantasy, and action are three different answers — decide which one you are giving before the word starts to feel like a decision.
I only want to understand the word.
Keep it as a learning question. Read the definition, glance at the family around it, and stop there. Enjoying an explanation commits you to nothing.
Jump to the full listI like imagining it.
Mark it fantasy-only if that is today’s honest answer. That is different from “maybe, in practice” — an interest can be vivid and meaningful without ever being enacted.
Score fantasy separatelyI might raise it with a partner.
Name the specific topic and its conditions, not the category. A shared yes to “restraint” can hide very different interests in visual style, sensation, or authority.
Open the conversation guideAll 104 kink types, grouped into 10 families
Filter by interest family or search a specific kink type. Each entry is one plain sentence, with common synonyms and a safety note where an activity needs instruction before anyone tries it.
Power Exchange & Roles
Who leads, who yields, and how that authority is agreed, limited, and ended.
11 types · scored as Power & Control in the kink test
Takes the leading role in a negotiated dynamic and holds responsibility for how a scene runs.
Dom · Domme · top
Chooses to yield direction to a trusted partner, inside limits the submissive person sets.
sub · bottom
Moves between leading and yielding depending on partner, mood, or the specific scene.
versatile
Holds authority in a deeper structure that usually extends beyond a single scene.
M/s · Sir · Ma’am
Commits to a structured service dynamic, typically with explicit written agreements.
service submissive · consensual slave
Takes the keeping role in a dynamic framed around belonging, often marked by a collar.
handler · keeper
Submits through playful, deliberate resistance rather than immediate compliance.
bratty sub
Protocol & ritual
Agreed forms of address, gestures, or routines that mark when a dynamic is active.
high protocol
Orders & obedience
Giving explicit instructions and carrying them out precisely, as the core of a scene.
command play
24/7 dynamics
A power structure kept in place outside scenes, with rules covering everyday life.
TPE · total power exchange · lifestyle dynamic
Needs regular renegotiation and a clear way to pause the dynamic entirely.
Collaring
Marking a dynamic with a collar or similar token, often through a small ceremony.
Owner · Pet · Master/Mistress · Slave
Bondage & Restraint
Restricted movement — from a hand held in place to structured, technical rope work.
12 types · scored as Restraint & Bondage in the kink test
The person tying — responsible for technique, circulation checks, and safe release.
rope top · bakushi
The person being tied, who enjoys the focus and surrender that rope brings.
rope bottom · model
Enjoys applying restraint of any kind, not only rope.
restraint top
Enjoys being restrained, independent of which tool is used.
restraint bottom
Rope bondage
Using rope to restrain or decorate a partner, with technique learned before it is used.
shibari · kinbaku
Nerve damage and circulation loss are real risks; learn safe placement and keep cutting tools within reach.
Cuffs & restraints
Purpose-made cuffs, straps, or under-bed systems used instead of rope for quick release.
Manual restraint
Being held in place by a partner’s hands or body weight, with no equipment involved.
pinning · holding down
Decorative rope
Rope applied for how it looks and feels rather than to prevent movement.
rope dress · harness
Predicament bondage
A position that makes two options both uncomfortable, so the bottom must keep choosing.
Position stress builds quickly; keep sessions short.
Suspension
Partially or fully lifting a bound partner off the ground using hard points and rigging.
Advanced practice with serious injury potential; requires in-person training, not video tutorials.
Mummification & encasement
Wrapping the body in plastic wrap, tape, or fabric to restrict movement.
Overheating and restricted breathing are the main risks; never cover the airway.
Bondage furniture
Frames, benches, and spreader bars that hold a position without continuous tying.
Impact & Sensation
Intensity as the point — how it is delivered, how it builds, and where it stops.
11 types · scored as Sensation & Intensity in the kink test
Enjoys delivering intense sensation to a partner who has asked for it.
sensation top
Enjoys receiving intense sensation as pleasure, focus, or release.
pain slut · sensation bottom
Spanking
Impact by hand to fleshy areas, often the entry point into sensation play.
hand spanking · OTK
Flogging
Rhythmic impact from a multi-tailed flogger, spreading sensation over a wider area.
Caning
Sharp, focused impact from a thin rod; it lands narrower and stings longer.
Marks easily and can break skin; avoid joints, kidneys, and spine.
Paddling
Broad, thudding impact from a flat implement, often paired with counted strokes.
Pinching, biting & scratching
Short, sharp sensation delivered with the body rather than an implement.
Teasing & denial
Deliberately slowing down or withholding what comes next to build anticipation.
edging · orgasm control
Endurance play
Holding a position or sensation for an agreed length of time as a challenge.
Nipple & clamp play
Pressure applied with fingers, clamps, or suction as a focused sensation.
Removing clamps hurts more than wearing them; limit time on.
Breath restriction
Play involving restricted breathing, listed here because it is commonly searched.
Neck compression can cause injury or death with no warning and no reliable safe technique. Medical bodies advise against it.
Sensory Play & Materials
Texture, temperature, and controlling what a person can see, hear, or feel.
11 types · scored as Sensory & Materials in the kink test
Blindfolds
Removing sight so every other sensation registers more sharply.
Temperature play
Contrasting hot and cold — ice, warmed oil, breath — across the skin.
Test temperature on yourself first; skin damage happens fast.
Wax play
Dripping low-temperature candle wax as a heat sensation.
Only low-temperature body candles; standard candles cause burns.
Leather
Attraction to leather as material, garment, or the sound and smell it carries.
leather fetish
Latex & rubber
Attraction to the tightness, shine, and full-body sensation of latex clothing.
rubberist
Overheating is common in full coverage; hydrate and take breaks.
Silk, lace & soft fabrics
Attraction to delicate textures against skin as the central sensation.
Feathers & light touch
Very light, unpredictable contact used to build sensitivity rather than intensity.
Sensation toys
Wheels, brushes, and textured tools used to vary sensation without impact.
Scent & taste
Smell or taste being the main channel of arousal rather than a background detail.
Sound restriction
Muffling hearing with headphones or earplugs to deepen the sense of isolation.
Full sensory deprivation
Removing several senses at once, usually combined with restraint.
Disorientation is intense; agree a non-verbal signal before starting.
Roleplay & Persona
A character, story, or frame that matters as much as what happens inside it.
14 types · scored as Roleplay & Persona in the kink test
Takes the guiding, nurturing role in a caregiver dynamic between adults.
CG · caregiver
Steps into a carefree, cared-for headspace where responsibility is handed over.
babygirl · babyboy
Takes an animal-inspired role opposite a handler or owner.
kitten · pup · pony
Plays instinct-led and pursuing, with little verbal negotiation once a scene starts.
predator
Plays instinct-led and pursued, enjoying the chase and the catch.
prey
Age play
Adults playing with a caregiver-and-cared-for frame, by mutual agreement.
DD/lg · MD/lb · CG/l
Pet play
Adopting animal-inspired behaviors and gear, often with a handler opposite.
puppy play · kitten play · pony play
Primal play
Instinct-led, less verbal play involving chasing, wrestling, or growling.
Words are part of the scene, so agree a physical stop signal beforehand.
Scripted scenarios
Set-piece scenes with defined characters — a stranger, an interview, a rescue.
scene play
Uniform & costume play
Clothing that signals a role and carries the fantasy on its own.
uniform fetish
Consensual non-consent
Pre-negotiated scenes that play at resistance while consent is agreed in full beforehand.
CNC
Requires an established relationship, detailed negotiation, and a signal that works when words are part of the scene.
Gender play
Exploring presentation and gender expression as part of a scene.
crossdressing · forced fem
Objectification play
Being treated as an object or piece of furniture for an agreed period.
human furniture
Cosplay & fantasy characters
Bringing fictional characters into intimacy through costume and behavior.
Psychological & Verbal Play
Interests carried by language, anticipation, and headspace rather than physical sensation.
11 types · scored as Care & Emotional Tone in the kink test
Uses rough or belittling language, agreed word by word in advance.
verbal top
Enjoys being spoken to roughly inside limits they defined themselves.
verbal bottom
Enjoys meeting playful resistance and earning compliance rather than assuming it.
brat handler
Praise
Detailed, specific approval used as the main reward inside a dynamic.
praise kink
Dominant · Submissive · Daddy/Mommy · Little
Degradation & humiliation
Rough or belittling language used deliberately, agreed word by word in advance.
Agree exact words and off-limits topics first; this lands harder than most people expect.
Dirty talk & narration
Describing what is happening or about to happen as the core of the experience.
Rules & consequences
Agreed rules with defined outcomes when they are kept or broken.
discipline
Brat Tamer · Brat · Dominant · Submissive
Permission & begging
Having to ask before something happens, and the tension of waiting for an answer.
Anticipation & waiting
Long build-up, countdowns, or instructions given hours in advance.
Erotic hypnosis
Suggestion-based play that works on focus and relaxation.
Effects can persist after a scene; only with partners you know well.
Mind games & manipulation play
Consensual psychological pressure inside a clearly bounded scene.
Easily confused with genuine coercion; needs explicit start and end markers.
Care, Aftercare & Emotional Dynamics
Looking after each other before, during, and long after a scene.
8 types · scored as Care & Emotional Tone in the kink test
Aftercare
Agreed care after a scene — water, warmth, quiet, or talking it through.
Subspace
A floaty, altered headspace some bottoms enter during intense play.
Consent given in subspace is unreliable; negotiate everything beforehand.
Domspace
The focused, adrenaline-heavy headspace some tops enter while leading.
Drop care
Support for the emotional dip that can arrive hours or days after intense play.
sub drop · dom drop
Emotional catharsis play
Scenes deliberately designed to reach and release strong emotion.
cathartic play · cry scenes
Not a substitute for therapy, and a poor fit during an acute mental health crisis.
Nurturing & comfort
Care itself — blankets, feeding, holding — as the point rather than the wrap-up.
Daddy/Mommy · Little · Owner · Pet
Negotiation rituals
A repeatable pre-scene conversation covering limits, signals, and health.
Check-ins & safewords
Agreed language for slowing down or stopping, including non-verbal versions.
Display, Watching & Digital
Attention — being seen, watching, and what happens on a screen.
7 types · scored as Display & Watching in the kink test
Enjoys being watched by people who have chosen to be there.
show-off · display bottom
Only in consent-aware settings; exposing uninvolved people is not kink and is often illegal.
Enjoys watching people who know and want to be watched.
watcher
Private photography & video
Recording as part of play, with explicit agreement on storage and deletion.
Agree in writing who holds files and when they are deleted, before anything is recorded.
Sexting & digital play
Text, voice, or video play with a partner who is not in the room.
Dressing for display
Choosing clothing specifically for a partner to look at.
Discreet public play
Fully clothed dynamics carried into public without involving bystanders.
public protocol
Anything a passer-by can perceive removes their choice; keep it invisible.
Anonymity play
Masks or concealed identity used to change how being seen feels.
Relationship Structures
How many people are involved, what is agreed between them, and how it is maintained.
10 types · scored as Structure & Setting in the kink test
Builds relationships outside a closed pair, with everyone informed and consenting.
ENM · polyamorous · open
Drawn to variety and novelty rather than a fixed set of interests.
explorer
Prefers tender, connection-focused intimacy without power play or intensity.
non-kinky
Monogamous kink
A full kink life inside one closed relationship.
Polyamory
Multiple committed relationships, with everyone informed and consenting.
Swinging
Couples playing with other couples or individuals, usually socially and together.
Threesomes & group play
Scenes involving three or more people by mutual agreement.
Compersion dynamics
Finding pleasure in a partner’s enjoyment with someone else.
cuckolding · hotwifing · stag/vixen
Long-distance dynamics
Rules, tasks, and check-ins maintained between partners who are apart.
Solo kink
Exploring interests alone, through fantasy, writing, or solo practice.
Community, Events & Learning
The social and educational side of kink — where people learn technique and meet others.
9 types · scored as Structure & Setting in the kink test
Munches
Casual social meet-ups in public venues, usually with no play involved.
Play parties
Private events with house rules, consent monitors, and dedicated play space.
Workshops & classes
Taught sessions on technique, negotiation, and risk, often hands-on.
Rope jams
Practice sessions where people work on rope technique together.
Fetish clubs
Venues with a dress code and defined rules for behavior and consent.
Online communities
Forums and groups used for questions, vocabulary, and finding local events.
Mentorship
Learning from a more experienced person, with clear boundaries about the relationship.
Mentorship should never be conditional on playing with the mentor.
Checklists & negotiation tools
Structured yes / no / maybe lists used to compare interests before playing.
Conventions & festivals
Multi-day events combining classes, vendors, and social space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a kink and a fetish?
A kink is any sexual interest, preference, or activity outside what a given culture treats as conventional. A fetish is narrower: arousal that is strongly tied to a specific object, material, body part, or scenario, sometimes to the point where it is needed rather than merely enjoyed. Most items on this page can be either, depending on the person.
Is BDSM the same thing as kink?
No. BDSM is one region under the kink umbrella, covering bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism. All BDSM is kink, but most kink is not BDSM — sensory play, roleplay, display, and relationship structures all sit outside it. A fetish can fall inside BDSM or entirely outside it.
How many types of kink are there?
No list is complete, because kink is defined against whatever a culture treats as ordinary. This page organizes 104 commonly discussed types into 10 families so they are easier to scan and compare. Treat it as a working vocabulary rather than a full catalog.
Are kink types the same as BDSM roles?
No. A kink type usually names an interest, scenario, or activity family (such as sensory play, bondage, or power exchange). A BDSM role describes the part someone takes in a dynamic (such as Dominant, Switch, or Rope Bunny). Each role has a dedicated guide, while kink types describe the full spectrum of preferences.
Is it normal to have a kink?
Yes. Surveys of adult populations repeatedly find that interest in activities such as restraint, roleplay, and power dynamics is common. Having an interest says nothing about your mental health, your relationship, or your character. What matters is consent, honesty, and risk awareness — not the content of the interest itself.
How do I find out which kinks I am into?
Reading a categorised list like this one is the low-pressure way to start, because it gives you the words before it asks you for an answer. If you want a structured version, the kink test on this site scores 8 interest families and separates curiosity, fantasy, and real-world interest.
Does being curious about something mean I want to do it?
No. Curiosity, fantasy, and intention are three different things, and plenty of interests are most enjoyable when they stay imaginary. Nothing on this page is a recommendation, and nothing here establishes that an activity is safe for you or agreed to by anyone else.
Does “maybe” mean I should try it?
No. Maybe can mean you need more information, that you want to keep something in fantasy, or that you simply do not know yet. It is not advance consent, and it does not become a plan until both people have talked about the specific activity.
How do I bring one of these up with a partner?
Name the specific thing rather than its category, say which answer it is for you — curious, fantasy-only, or something you would like to try — and ask for the same in return. A written checklist helps, because it lets each person answer privately before you compare, and it keeps the conversation about one activity at a time.
Give each interest its own answer
You have the words now. The useful part is deciding, one entry at a time, which are curious-only, which stay in fantasy, and which are worth raising with someone. The kink test does that for you — 40 questions, 8 interest families, about seven minutes. The checklist does it in writing, so two people can compare answers without either of them having to go first.
Free · no sign-up · answers stay in your browser
A name is not a risk assessment. Several entries above carry real physical risk and need in-person instruction. Negotiate the specific activity rather than the label — read the safety guide first.
