blinked

past tense of blink
1
as in twinkled
to shine with light at regular intervals she loves to sit in the dark and watch the lights on the Christmas tree blink in ever-changing patterns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in squinted
to rapidly open and close one's eyes I blinked for a few seconds after the camera flashed

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blinked In the monitoring room, screens blinked and maps pulsed, quietly charting what was happening underground. Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026 As Ford, Collins, and Ripley looked up, the green lights blinked on, confirming the signal had been received. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 Then, yesterday, Washington blinked, withdrawing the controls. Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Drouin blinked first, ending his holdout in March and playing for Syracuse. Max Bultman, New York Times, 10 June 2026 The cushion is running out So far, consumers haven’t blinked. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026 Trump has blinked many times in the confrontation with Iran—ever since March 18, when Israel attacked the Pars gas field and Iran retaliated with a strike against Qatar’s most important natural-gas-production facility. Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 The Nuggets stared into the eyes of a pack of Wolves, and blinked. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 1 May 2026 Two of the Tigers’ runs came in the eighth and two more in the ninth when the Braves’ typically solid defense blinked. Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blinked
Verb
  • Before a big night out or even just dinner with friends, lids twinkled, cheekbones caught the light from every angle, and lip gloss doubled as a mirror.
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Animated pixie dust twinkled on the screen, courtesy of the fairy, Tinker Bell.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • McNutt said as Murray squinted down at the stands and zoomed in to catch a photo of the pop superstar for his wife.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
  • Pok squinted against his bedroom's harsh, swinging light.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Many of his contemporaries—including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones, Janis Joplin and The Doors’ Jim Morrison—succumbed to drug overdoses or suicide in their 20s.
    Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 23 July 2026
  • Then England took the lead and, within sight of the final, succumbed to doubt.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Burke stared quietly at the screen, his elbow resting on the defense table and his chin propped on a closed hand that partly covered his mouth.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
  • Burke appeared to show no visible emotion and stared intently at each photograph, continuing to look at them as they were displayed in the courtorom, PEOPLE previously reported.
    Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Her heart hammered away, her eyes flickered, and her voice grew tiny and plaintive.
    Will Mackin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026
  • SportsCenter flickered on several televisions.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The Baronessa winked and stated that the princess was an inspiration to others.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
  • Ten hours later, its transponder winked back into life due north of Abu Dhabi, heading for Bahrain.
    Priyanjana Bengani, Bloomberg, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Mellone called the constitutional court’s referral a historic moment — the first time an Italian court has conceded that something may be wrong with the new law.
    Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Andre Dozzell drew a penalty conceded by Jackson Gilman and Baribo's penalty kick capped the scoring.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • Standing in front of the open coffin where Salgado Araujo’s bronze profile gazed toward the sky, were Ronaldo Salgado, 29, and his brother, Lorenzo Salgado, 27, who were greeting the visitors.
    Albinson Linares, NBC news, 17 July 2026
  • Terrion Arnold walked across the draft stage in Detroit in April 2024, gazed out at a then-record crowd after being selected by the host city’s franchise and delivered a message to Lions fans tuning in to see their newest addition.
    Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blinked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinked. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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