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 While the sign has previously blinked one side at a time, appearing to rotate clockwise, Rand does not plan to have the lights blink moving forward. Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 7 Aug. 2026 Birdie blinked slowly to clear her eyes, then carefully pressed the cold metal of the knife against her cheek. Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 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
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
  • Shortly after arrival at the hospital, deputies said that 8-year-old Camila Leon had succumbed to her injuries.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The actor succumbed to his injuries two days after the incident.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The students stared at their feet and struggled to keep straight faces.
    Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • His family stared balefully at him, waiting for some alchemy to be performed by his hand, like those trips when he was somehow expected to navigate them through an unknown city.
    Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The neon lights began to move about briskly, like gleaming whirligig beetles, and the lights on the advertising tower closest to the stadium flickered across the Squirrel-brand margarine ad.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Above the roofs, like an alien protrusion, the lights on a faraway derrick flickered.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 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
  • Three goals were put past Coventry at home, while Ipswich conceded five on their league visit.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Roberts conceded that the BFI system can seem like a bureaucracy but defended the amount of paperwork.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Kikuko rolled over on her side and gazed up at the sky, which had suddenly become blanketed in thunder clouds.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In another photo, the actress leaned into the camera and gazed off into the water.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 24 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blinked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinked. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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