winked; winking; winks
1
: to shut one eye briefly as a signal or in teasing
2
: to close and open the eyelids quickly
3
: to avoid seeing or noting something
—usually used with at
4
: to gleam or flash intermittently : twinkle
her glasses winking in the sunlight—
Harper Lee
Harper Lee5
a
: to come to an end
—usually used with out
b
: to stop shining
—usually used with out
6
: to signal a message with a light
1
: to cause to open and shut
2
: to affect or influence by or as if by blinking the eyes
Synonyms
Examples of wink in a Sentence
Verb
He winked and said that he understood.
She winked at me as she asked what I was doing tonight.
She winked an eye at me.
The puppy was winking in the bright sun.
The stars winked in the night sky.
The airplane's landing lights winked on and off.
Noun
Her wink told me she was just kidding.
“I knew you could do it,” he said with a wink.
Recent Examples on the WebLeslie Camhi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In his short tenure on the show (before decamping along with Lorne Michaels and the rest of the cast after the fifth season), Murray exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023
In the show, the universe winks for everyone on Earth in a climactic sequence that ends the premiere.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024
Last week, the New York rock group shared a short clip filmed on what looked a lot like the famed SNL stage set, which even includes a winking nod to the show’s horn-heavy theme song.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 26 Feb. 2024
For a nasty cut, Lopez is in good spirits, now laughing and winking with the nurses.
—Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024
Ever After benefits from cinematography, set design, and a cast that winks only when absolutely necessary (plus extra brownie points for being blessedly uncomplicated).
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
Because there's absolutely nothing like waking up to a fresh day, pulling your curtains wide, and seeing the glistening ocean winking back at you.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
Bar-Tal and co use the famous Vermeer painting Girl with a Pearl Earring and make Lumiere animate it to show the girl winking and smiling.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024
Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024
At Loewe — like at Rabanne — the playful use of tartan could be read both as a simultaneous wink to heritage and grunge.
—Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
There’s also the face of that frog mascot with a facetious wink.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 28 Feb. 2024
But just as modesty seemed to be getting the upper hand, the bottom edge veered north and slyly arched over the cheeks – coy as a wink.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
No | Good For: Pet fur, hair, crumbs, dirt
How It's Held Up
After six months, the quality has not changed a wink.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
These little winks and nods about Chicago and her past and the people that she’s worked with are just that, for the moment.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024
If that eliminates your butt wink, then restricted ankle dorsiflexion is the likely culprit, Dr. Pagliano says.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 22 Feb. 2024
Athill could talk about death with a wink in one blue eye and steadiness in the other.
—Hillary Kelly, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
The rain had stopped, and a brisk wind was dispersing the clouds that lingered around the San Francisco Peaks, pulling back the curtain on a vast, winking tapestry — pinpoints of light in an inky black sky.
—Leslie Camhi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In his short tenure on the show (before decamping along with Lorne Michaels and the rest of the cast after the fifth season), Murray exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles.
—Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023
In the show, the universe winks for everyone on Earth in a climactic sequence that ends the premiere.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024
Last week, the New York rock group shared a short clip filmed on what looked a lot like the famed SNL stage set, which even includes a winking nod to the show’s horn-heavy theme song.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 26 Feb. 2024
For a nasty cut, Lopez is in good spirits, now laughing and winking with the nurses.
—Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024
Ever After benefits from cinematography, set design, and a cast that winks only when absolutely necessary (plus extra brownie points for being blessedly uncomplicated).
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
Because there's absolutely nothing like waking up to a fresh day, pulling your curtains wide, and seeing the glistening ocean winking back at you.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
Bar-Tal and co use the famous Vermeer painting Girl with a Pearl Earring and make Lumiere animate it to show the girl winking and smiling.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
Adoring fans nicknamed Reese the Bayou Barbie—a wink to her signature long lashes, cascading hairstyles, bold manicures, and unapologetic love of fashion.
—Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024
At Loewe — like at Rabanne — the playful use of tartan could be read both as a simultaneous wink to heritage and grunge.
—Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
There’s also the face of that frog mascot with a facetious wink.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 28 Feb. 2024
But just as modesty seemed to be getting the upper hand, the bottom edge veered north and slyly arched over the cheeks – coy as a wink.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
No | Good For: Pet fur, hair, crumbs, dirt
How It's Held Up
After six months, the quality has not changed a wink.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024
These little winks and nods about Chicago and her past and the people that she’s worked with are just that, for the moment.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024
If that eliminates your butt wink, then restricted ankle dorsiflexion is the likely culprit, Dr. Pagliano says.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 22 Feb. 2024
Athill could talk about death with a wink in one blue eye and steadiness in the other.
—Hillary Kelly, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wink
Cite this Entry
“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wink. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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