as in peering
to take a look with the eyes narrowed (as because of difficulty seeing)
He squinted in her direction, but couldn't make her out with the sun behind her.
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Recent Examples of squinting
The mother-son duo posed for photos, with Valentino adorably squinting from the bright lights of the cameras.
—
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
When the result was announced, boos echoed through the venue, and Aspinall, still squinting and visibly frustrated, made his feelings clear during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
OmniBook x Flip, a 2-in-1 laptop that can do it all, featuring a spacious 16-inch display with a sharp 2K resolution that will never leave you squinting, pinching to zoom, or switching orientations to better see what’s on your screen.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
That said, blurry vision, squinting, and other factors could indicate a need to update a prescription.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Now, Renee Slegers’ side have ground to make up both domestically and in Europe, squinting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Berners-Lee, squinting, wasn’t so sure.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio makes a great, vital has-been, squinting at the horrors around him in disbelief, but mostly, driven by the need to protect his child.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
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
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
When the result was announced, boos echoed through the venue, and Aspinall, still squinting and visibly frustrated, made his feelings clear during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
OmniBook x Flip, a 2-in-1 laptop that can do it all, featuring a spacious 16-inch display with a sharp 2K resolution that will never leave you squinting, pinching to zoom, or switching orientations to better see what’s on your screen.
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
That said, blurry vision, squinting, and other factors could indicate a need to update a prescription.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Now, Renee Slegers’ side have ground to make up both domestically and in Europe, squinting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Berners-Lee, squinting, wasn’t so sure.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
DiCaprio makes a great, vital has-been, squinting at the horrors around him in disbelief, but mostly, driven by the need to protect his child.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinting
Verb
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Kenny Chesney walks around office on the 72nd floor of One World Trade Center in New York City, peering out the floor-to-ceiling windows in search of his skyline barometers—the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and one of his favorite places to perform, MetLife Stadium.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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This way of peering at screen culture from an inexact distance, which also comes up in a scolding scene where Ethan scrolls aimlessly through something like TikTok, rankles in a play that is otherwise so precise about physical time and space.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The pair ignored him and continued to walk away, leaving Frank staring in their direction for several seconds.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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There’s a picture of me, not quite a year old, in a blue sailor suit and a red ribbon tied around my neck, staring avidly at a picture book.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The overnight storm was likely triggered by a glancing CME arrival that combined with lingering effects from a high-speed solar wind stream, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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After his partner of 30 years talks with his mother on the phone, Brackett knows the topic of their conversation just by glancing at his face.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The trend, Morales said, should come as a giant, blinking warning sign for Republicans, who ran in 2024 on promises to decrease inflation and improve the cost of living for everyday Americans.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The costume was designed by veteran costume and puppet designer Tahra Zafar and, of course, includes Paddington’s trademark blue duffel coat and red hat, as well as mechanics that enable facial expressions like blinking.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While you’re holed up in your new lodgings, enjoy a blissful soak under the rainfall showerhead or take in the view from the glass wall in the bedroom that offers an unobscured view during leaf-peeping season and beyond.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Perfect for leaf-peeping weekends and airport runs, these clogs deliver comfort that doesn’t quit.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The camera then zooms out to show that the athlete is actually inside of a snow globe, which the pop star has been gazing into and shaking.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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But gazing at the field of red clay just feet away from his front door gives him the feeling that Charlotte’s growth is climbing on top of him.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squinting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinting. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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