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
-
Each year, the plaza at Lincoln Center goes through a vernal transformation, its formal granite parterre converted to a busy dance floor with twinkling lights, part of the center’s Summer for the City programming.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Tuesday afternoon in the blazing heat, Semien emerged from the visitors’ clubhouse holding a bat and ready for BP, squinting his eyes to try to find Toboni across the field near the home dugout.—
Barry Svrluga,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
For example, phone pouches could prevent students from succumbing to the urge to look at their phones.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
But the twins — in critical condition, and on respirators — fought on for days at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell before succumbing to the effects of smoke inhalation suffered during the fire.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead, The Mandalorian and Grogu is staring at a third-place finish behind writer-director Curry Barker’s Obsession.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
-
Shaina laid on her cot all night, staring at the ceiling, processing all the ways her life was changing.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Ahead of the endorsement vote, Klobuchar supporters holding batons with flashing green lights dominated the convention floor.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
-
Neighbors said flashing emergency lights and sirens alerted them something was terribly wrong.—
Adi Guajardo,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Should the center end up with 40 hours of weekly operation, staff and CRG members would be tasked with submitting a proposal on how to use the hours.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Navel-gazing cinema about the creative process isn’t usually my bag, but Almodóvar doesn’t take his own misery that seriously, even inserting a manic pixie dream hunk, a male stripper-slash-firefighter played by Patrick Criado, for a little bump and grind.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Marisa Anderson’s latest album of epic, horizon-gazing guitar compositions pulls from an international songbook that includes work from Afghanistan, Vietnam, Yemen, and Cambodia.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s no better time to swap scary stories than when the wind is howling and candles are flickering.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Blinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blinking. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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