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
Special features All interactive Fingerlings have a core set of responses such as blinking, sleeping and tooting.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Sneezing forcefully expels mucus and airborne debris; reflexive blinking may help shield the eyes from contaminants moving upward across the face.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
The only things brighter than Dylan Groenewegen’s pink and blue sleeves are the blinking camera lights around him, all videographers belonging to his Unibet Rose Rockets team.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Several cars, some with hazard lights blinking, appeared to have been picked up by the storm.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Victor sat there, blinking in shock for what would later seem like two lifetimes.
—‘pemi Aguda, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
There’s a Marshalls on the Strip, a flashy glassy Marshalls being scaled by King Kong–like blinking M&M’s, but this was a normal strip-mall Marshalls.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Heidi did it in back-to-back months without even blinking.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The lights offer eight modes, including seven blinking options and one steady setting.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Sneezing forcefully expels mucus and airborne debris; reflexive blinking may help shield the eyes from contaminants moving upward across the face.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
The only things brighter than Dylan Groenewegen’s pink and blue sleeves are the blinking camera lights around him, all videographers belonging to his Unibet Rose Rockets team.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Several cars, some with hazard lights blinking, appeared to have been picked up by the storm.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Victor sat there, blinking in shock for what would later seem like two lifetimes.
—‘pemi Aguda, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
There’s a Marshalls on the Strip, a flashy glassy Marshalls being scaled by King Kong–like blinking M&M’s, but this was a normal strip-mall Marshalls.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Heidi did it in back-to-back months without even blinking.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The lights offer eight modes, including seven blinking options and one steady setting.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blinking
Verb
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The titular town is a serene speck of a place in the west of Japan, near a mountain also called Nagi, a beautiful but raggedy landscape that patchworks swathes of virgin forest, farmed fields and twinkling solar panels.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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In an Instagram post, the actress showed off the park's winter decor — twinkling lights, artificial snow and Christmas trees.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Verb
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On a street by the harbor, crowds of people were squinting into the distance, exclaiming every time the whale exhaled.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
-
Whether 2026 is the year, or just the year fans started squinting at the schedule, is the watercooler question worth holding onto until that first Monday in May.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Ace Hunter Brown made two starts before succumbing to a shoulder strain and closer Josh Hader has not thrown a pitch in the majors this season.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
7 May 2026
Verb
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For the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Avs’ mortality was staring them in the face.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
23 May 2026
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But the biggest thing worth cheering for is that fans won’t have to spend hours staring at brake lights on I-95.—
JP Shaffer,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The goal is to remove the pieces without touching the metal edges, which triggers a buzzer and a flashing red nose.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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Photos from the event’s heyday show the Eras Tour frontwoman posing with her ‘squad’ of gal pals in matching American flag onesies, or flashing peace signs in stars-and-stripes bikinis.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Multiple organizations have taken issue with the proposal, writing letters and submitting petitions to city officials opposing it.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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But the measure doesn’t prevent search committees from submitting a single name as a finalist, essentially moving the entire search process behind closed doors.—
Gray Rohrer,
Sun Sentinel,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Since time immemorial, humans gazing up at the moon have asked grand questions.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
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Other communities, such as Malibu, have developed ordinances to reduce glare and artificial light, as has Joshua Tree National Park, a star-gazing haven that is designated an International Dark Sky Park.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Lightning flickering near Wichita, Kansas, lit up the night sky on May 5, 2026, in a display powerful enough to be seen from low Earth orbit.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Guests first move through a dim corridor lined with towering stacks of CRT televisions flickering with grainy studio footage, ambient static and fragmented vocals.—
Jonathan Cohen,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinking. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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