1
2
as in minutes
a very small space of time
I turned to look away, and in a wink he was gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in gleams
to shoot forth bursts of light
fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in ignores
to secretly sympathize with or pretend ignorance of something improper or unlawful
the whole sporting world seems to wink as untold sums are bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of winks
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
The new Scary Movie, from writer-stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans and director Michael Tiddes, opens with knowing winks to the 2000 original film, which featured Electra in a scene inspired by Drew Barrymore's opening scene in Scream.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
There are a lot of knowing nods and winks to past horror landmarks as well, notably Videodrome and The Shining, and more than a few gentle ribbings of the clichés of the Golden Age of slashers.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Her work explores healing from childhood trauma, perfectionism, motherhood, and the quiet synchronistic winks that guide us to the miracles awaiting us.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
The actress stars as Cathy in Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel—and so far, the press tour has been filled with knowing winks and nods to the source material.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
As for the music, it’s aptly encoded with cosmic winks and shrugs — layers of paradoxical noises that feel messy and mannered, casual and serious, loose and tight, hungry and wise.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2026
References, winks, and even fan-pleasing cameos abound, but unlike in many big-budget IP adaptations, all of them make sense for the story being told and don't take attention away from the main players.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
On a poster, the brand’s mascot, Snow King, holds a milk tea and winks.
—Theodora Yu, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Badlands might be a simple movie on the surface, but it's filled with little details, bits of lore, and cheeky winks many moviegoers appreciated.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The hotel itself is a rhapsody in clean, modern design that subtly winks to the legion efforts behind it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026
But when the lights go off and consciousness winks out, another, deeper process goes to work.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Referencing the Founder An impressive number of artworks and floral motifs pervade the vast store, winks to founder Christian Dior’s early days as a gallery owner and his lifelong love of plants.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
It’s presented without winks or nudges, neither as a joke nor necessarily foolish.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
The new Scary Movie, from writer-stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans and director Michael Tiddes, opens with knowing winks to the 2000 original film, which featured Electra in a scene inspired by Drew Barrymore's opening scene in Scream.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
There are a lot of knowing nods and winks to past horror landmarks as well, notably Videodrome and The Shining, and more than a few gentle ribbings of the clichés of the Golden Age of slashers.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Her work explores healing from childhood trauma, perfectionism, motherhood, and the quiet synchronistic winks that guide us to the miracles awaiting us.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
The actress stars as Cathy in Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel—and so far, the press tour has been filled with knowing winks and nods to the source material.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
As for the music, it’s aptly encoded with cosmic winks and shrugs — layers of paradoxical noises that feel messy and mannered, casual and serious, loose and tight, hungry and wise.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2026
References, winks, and even fan-pleasing cameos abound, but unlike in many big-budget IP adaptations, all of them make sense for the story being told and don't take attention away from the main players.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025
On a poster, the brand’s mascot, Snow King, holds a milk tea and winks.
—Theodora Yu, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
The film, from director Susanne Bier, opens September 11, and the first teaser showed the old house that was rebuilt meticulously, as well as the two Owens sisters getting up to a whole lot of witchy stuff and some sly winks.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Badlands might be a simple movie on the surface, but it's filled with little details, bits of lore, and cheeky winks many moviegoers appreciated.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The hotel itself is a rhapsody in clean, modern design that subtly winks to the legion efforts behind it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026
But when the lights go off and consciousness winks out, another, deeper process goes to work.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Referencing the Founder An impressive number of artworks and floral motifs pervade the vast store, winks to founder Christian Dior’s early days as a gallery owner and his lifelong love of plants.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winks
Noun
-
Early metabolic changes or another health issue could make people more likely to take longer naps before MASLD is diagnosed, Gu agrees.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
15 June 2026
-
Its Body Battery monitor tracks naps, sleep, and stress to identify peak performance windows.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Unlike standard eye drops that get washed away by tears within minutes, living eye drops use bacteria that colonize the eye and continuously release therapeutic proteins after a single application.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
The lawsuit, filed on Saturday in the Central District of California, claims that the supermodel turned media personality participated in a 3½-hour interview, of which about 16 minutes was used.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Even after five years in the job, Alejo occasionally blinks in confusion at a line and turns to her laptop to google what these government and corporate bureaucracies are trying to say.—
Megan Greenwell,
Bloomberg,
9 June 2026
-
The mental image most people carry into a salary conversation is two people on opposite sides of a table, locked in a staring contest until one person blinks.—
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Then Jaimoe pauses, flashes a quick, playful grin, and rolls his right pant leg up to his knee.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2026
-
Is Whalefall largely a dual narrative that flashes between the innards of a whale and the father-son relationship?—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Six Sex never ignores the horrors, but uses them as fuel for a debut that unfurls as a freewheeling post-porno blitz.—
E.R. Pulgar,
Pitchfork,
11 June 2026
-
Relying on a single test ignores the daily, practical hurdles our patients face.—
Eric Wargotz,
Baltimore Sun,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
According to the medical records, the former pro wrestler had a history of leukemia and atrial fibrillation, a common disorder that causes irregular heartbeats.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
-
For Bourland and Turner, caring for these 328 heartbeats is a calling.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Charles squints at the phone.—
Allegra Goodman,
New Yorker,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Wiesmair squints at his smartphone, which is logged on to a database of European moth species.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winks. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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