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
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
Authorities say the footage shows Peters appeared to be squinting, driving with one eye closed, or struggling to focus.
—Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Helen takes the envelope, squinting at it in the bright sun, and wonders for a moment what kind of bad news there is left to get from Nebraska.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
As when just standing in the Mingus Quick Stop parking lot and squinting down the street at lifting dust while overhearing from within the most mysterious conversation about missing Little Debbie Honey Buns—not stolen, gradually pilfered, but just missing.
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
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
Authorities say the footage shows Peters appeared to be squinting, driving with one eye closed, or struggling to focus.
—Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Helen takes the envelope, squinting at it in the bright sun, and wonders for a moment what kind of bad news there is left to get from Nebraska.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
As when just standing in the Mingus Quick Stop parking lot and squinting down the street at lifting dust while overhearing from within the most mysterious conversation about missing Little Debbie Honey Buns—not stolen, gradually pilfered, but just missing.
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinting
Verb
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Missions to Mars have looked for signs of photosynthesis – the process by which plants take in energy – and telescopes peering deep into space look for oxygen, which organisms on Earth release into the atmosphere.—
Mary Magnuson,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
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Wonyetye had been arrested just a few weeks prior on a misdemeanor charge of night prowling after he was caught peering through windows in Lake Worth, The Palm Beach Post reported in 1991.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Emotional details piled on — an injured German shepherd being protected by the pack, a corgi leading the group, glancing back to check on the others.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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But the glancing references to Western Sahara’s decades-old territorial dispute, depicted here as a mere unexpected obstacle in the characters’ quest for a transformative experience, belie a deeper history that is not simply a logistical inconvenience.—
Álex Maroño Porto,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Austin police have arrested a 59-year-old man accused of stalking and peeping into windows in a series of incidents across the city, authorities said Monday.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Mar. 2026
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The stinger on the scene, where Katie flees and Greg mistakenly gets caught peeping on two girls smooching, is good for some giggles.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
9 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
Cite this Entry
“Squinting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinting. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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