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 comic spent some minutes zooming in on and squinting at the photo, putting his hand on his head to ascertain the resemblance.
—
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Roughly 65% of the population sleeps on their side, and research shows that habit creates a specific type of facial aging that’s entirely separate from the lines caused by smiling or squinting.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
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
View gallery - 4 images Soldering frequently involves hunching in and squinting at the fiddly task at hand, or performing that task under an unmoving magnifying glass.
—New Atlas, 30 Jan. 2026
The earlier of Sunday’s two title games, after some squinting, will feature the Denver Broncos hosting the New England Patriots led by quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Drake Maye, respectively.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Latecomers in search of a view had to take their chances from the very top of the stadium, squinting to see the players dancing on the court below.
—Owen Lewis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
During this time, Peters appeared to be blinking, slowly closing his eyes and squinting until his eyes were almost closed, according to the criminal complaint.
—Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2026
Roughly 65% of the population sleeps on their side, and research shows that habit creates a specific type of facial aging that’s entirely separate from the lines caused by smiling or squinting.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
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
View gallery - 4 images Soldering frequently involves hunching in and squinting at the fiddly task at hand, or performing that task under an unmoving magnifying glass.
—New Atlas, 30 Jan. 2026
The earlier of Sunday’s two title games, after some squinting, will feature the Denver Broncos hosting the New England Patriots led by quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Drake Maye, respectively.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Latecomers in search of a view had to take their chances from the very top of the stadium, squinting to see the players dancing on the court below.
—Owen Lewis, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
During this time, Peters appeared to be blinking, slowly closing his eyes and squinting until his eyes were almost closed, according to the criminal complaint.
—Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinting
Verb
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Rest and relaxation are otherwise encouraged via the design itself, from the warm woods that wrap around the place to the open design that prioritizes open spaces for roaming, lots of windows for peering outside, and a bathroom with a massive tub for taking a good long soak.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
14 Apr. 2026
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Then, while Louise was peering through the letterbox, our mother alighted from the back of a black cab.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Up on their hind legs, sitting around me, staring at me.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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After staring at the dog for 90 seconds, Green went back into his apartment and then threw a cutting board at the dog.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Illustrations by Thomas Merceron Even glancing contact between a passenger car and a semi truck is often enough to send the smaller vehicle pinwheeling across the highway.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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The pup can be seen glancing around his kennel with teary eyes, appearing scared and confused.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lights offer eight modes, including seven blinking options and one steady setting.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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Speaking to the interviewer and appearing to be blinded by the bright spotlights, Denton began blinking in a seemingly random manner.—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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An extremely nosy alligator was found sitting on the porch of a coastal North Carolina home, peeping through the glass storm door, photos show.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
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During fall leaf-peeping season, traffic on the pass has to be regulated.—
Jonathan Shikes,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Additional photos showed the couple sharing their first kiss as newlyweds, exchanging wedding rings and the two gazing lovingly at each other as a wedding officiant stood between them.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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With the city’s famous landmark, Christ the Redeemer, gazing down on the fleet in Guanabara Bay, skipper Taylor Canfield had the Americans in solid position after one day of racing.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squinting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinting. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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