1
as in twinkling
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
Relevance
2
as in squinting
to rapidly open and close one's eyes
I blinked for a few seconds after the camera flashed
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in succumbing
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
for two days the nations stood on the brink of war, until one finally blinked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in staring
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise
stood blinking at the ridiculous scene before him in utter disbelief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blinking
In addition to a healthy contingent of federal firefighters, federal workers from the departments of agriculture, the interior, and others have a strong presence in the town, which has a lone blinking stop-and-go traffic light and no parking meters.
—
David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Since then, key changes to the costume have included the introduction of a more rounded, less cartoonish head — one that later evolved to allow for blinking and mouth movement.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
This off-season, every off-season is one long blinking-in-astonishment-WTF-meme.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
However, if someone stares at a screen too long and isn't regularly blinking, their eyes are not stimulating the system that makes tears.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Active liveness detection prompts users to perform tasks such as blinking, turning their head or reading a phrase aloud.
—Mohamed Lazzouni, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
There is no blinking, no glowing ring, no airbrushed stand.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
All of Europe’s economic indicators are still blinking yellow or red, and national budgets are increasingly constrained by recent commitments to invest massively more in defense.
—Peter Vanham, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Since then, key changes to the costume have included the introduction of a more rounded, less cartoonish head — one that later evolved to allow for blinking and mouth movement.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
This off-season, every off-season is one long blinking-in-astonishment-WTF-meme.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
However, if someone stares at a screen too long and isn't regularly blinking, their eyes are not stimulating the system that makes tears.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Active liveness detection prompts users to perform tasks such as blinking, turning their head or reading a phrase aloud.
—Mohamed Lazzouni, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
There is no blinking, no glowing ring, no airbrushed stand.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
All of Europe’s economic indicators are still blinking yellow or red, and national budgets are increasingly constrained by recent commitments to invest massively more in defense.
—Peter Vanham, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blinking
Verb
-
The white beard, the twinkling eyes behind round spectacles, the mustache curled with wax at its ends are all real, all his.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Lighting up bits of the water, with the city twinkling behind her like millions of eyes, the statue was breathtaking.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An overly wide eye may mean that your dog is feeling threatened, while a small or squinting eye may suggest fear or stress.—
Dawn Kovell,
Mercury News,
19 Aug. 2025
-
After noticing her sibling was squinting during a pool party, the actor invited him to pick a pair from his collection to keep.—
Daysia Tolentino,
EW.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The Californian took the first set against Ekaterina Alexandrova at last year’s tournament and had her vastly more experienced Russian opponent on the ropes on several occasions before eventually succumbing.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The victim was hospitalized in intensive care before succumbing to the infection, which was believed to have been contracted while water-skiing days before on the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri, Fox News Digital previously reported.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The Irish are 0-1 and staring at an idle weekend with plenty to work on after a 27-24 loss in Miami on the Sunday night of Week 1.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
-
But after weeks of staring at bare ground, a few green shoots pushed through the dark silt.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As for most of the tournament, Sinner’s first-serve percentage hovered around 50, and Auger-Aliassime took the initiative with flashing forehands and the bravery to go after his shots in baseline rallies.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Warning signs have been flashing for months that the job market has been losing steam.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Silva is coming off a dominant performance at UFC 314, submitting Bryce Mitchell in the second round.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Wendy Kipple turned to genetic genealogy, submitting DNA from Oberholtzer’s bloodied items to United Data Connect, according to 48 Hours.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The myth is that Lady Murasaki, during a visit there after her husband died, was struck with the inspiration to write her chef d’oeuvre while gazing up at an August moon.—
Lauren Groff,
The Atlantic,
20 Aug. 2025
-
My favorite memory at Arches involved lounging beneath the sandstone and gazing at the stars.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Scientists have continued to develop light-flickering stimulation to induce gamma-wave oscillations in Alzheimer's disease patients.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Captured in the canyons of Arizona, the image reveals how flickering light dances across textured stone, creating fleeting moments of beauty only found in the shadows.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinking. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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