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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blinking
The emitters also demonstrated strong spectral stability, addressing a key limitation in earlier designs where blinking and photobleaching reduced performance.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Across Exuvie, Büchi induces a state of temporary autophony, a condition in which internal body sounds like breathing and blinking are amplified to maddening volume.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
Two tiny humanoid robots that can play soccer stand in a glass case, one blinking and gesturing at visitors and the other partially disassembled to reveal the engineering inside.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Why face the blank page and the blinking cursor?
—Charles Yu, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Just blasted off the line while everyone else stood there blinking.
—Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
In a matter of hours, modern conflict looked less like tanks and more like a blinking cursor.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Look for signs like inconsistent eye blinking, subtle glitches, or features that may lack definition.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Tics consist of movements, such as eye blinking or shoulder shrugging, or vocalizations, such as throat clearing or brief sounds.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Across Exuvie, Büchi induces a state of temporary autophony, a condition in which internal body sounds like breathing and blinking are amplified to maddening volume.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
Two tiny humanoid robots that can play soccer stand in a glass case, one blinking and gesturing at visitors and the other partially disassembled to reveal the engineering inside.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Why face the blank page and the blinking cursor?
—Charles Yu, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Just blasted off the line while everyone else stood there blinking.
—Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
In a matter of hours, modern conflict looked less like tanks and more like a blinking cursor.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Look for signs like inconsistent eye blinking, subtle glitches, or features that may lack definition.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Tics consist of movements, such as eye blinking or shoulder shrugging, or vocalizations, such as throat clearing or brief sounds.
—Rena Zito, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blinking
Verb
-
For a long time, the property gleamed in the daylight with its white, ornate facade against lush green landscaping and often at night, as well, with twinkling holiday lights attached to almost every surface.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
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Plan Your Shots For the best chance to capture the Milky Way and make the most of those twinkling stars, schedule your photo sessions around the new moon.—
Jay Clue,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And squinting is not necessary to see a vision for him.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Those last 20 minutes are pretty engaging, even if some of that engagement is squinting to see and interpret what’s going on.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the bumbling nature of Lesgate, with Jones playing the internal conflicts sharply, comes with succumbing to the horrid nature of what money can bring.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a dramatic departure from the novels, Kay and Dorothy’s father died in an armed robbery, rather than succumbing to leukemia.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Who could forget a picture, which graced the cover of Artforum more than a decade ago, of an uncannily adult baby staring sagaciously into the lens, its hand placed gingerly over its heart in a gesture that looks like reverence?—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Police said security footage from the store shows customers staring and retreating before 53-year-old Tammy Canut of North Huntingdon walks into the frame naked.—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The bank also reduced its overall equity allocation to neutral, citing a broad set of negative macro signals now flashing caution.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
So when an octopus starts flashing colors and twitching in its sleep, the parallels are hard to ignore.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
People cheered in the moment, but Choi’s coach was worried about her, submitting a DNS (Did Not Start) for her second run.—
Gawon Bae,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Most advisors recommend submitting paperwork by November 30 to allow for processing.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Frenza whispers to herself, gazing at her reflection in the mirror with the bottle in her hand, raising a toast to her own intelligence and ironic wit, which are, in her opinion, her most powerful protections against the world.—
Agnieszka Szpila,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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The springs are the perfect location for a picnic and an afternoon spent lounging and swimming in the pool of clear, clean spring water and gazing at the small waterfall.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If the power comes flickering on for a few precious hours in the middle of the night, that’s when Cubans now rise to wearily cook and iron clothes.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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Three cars back, Borsutzki tracked the woman’s path, the woman flickering in and out of view between the trunks and branches of the hardwood trees.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinking. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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