wink 1 of 2

noun

Definition of winknext
1
as in nap
a short sleep I wasn't able to catch a wink during the entire flight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in minute
a very small space of time I turned to look away, and in a wink he was gone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wink

2 of 2

verb

ˈwiŋk How to pronounce wink (audio)
1
as in to blink
to rapidly open and close one's eyes she winked several times to get the dust and grit out of her eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to twinkle
to shine with light at regular intervals a lighthouse was winking in the distance

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to ignore
to secretly sympathize with or pretend ignorance of something improper or unlawful the whole sporting world seems to wink as untold sums are bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wink
Noun
Black comedy is among the hardest tones to nail, and if there was a single knowing wink from the actors or even a soupçon of exaggeration in the execution, the whole thing could simply become too tiresomely antic to be actually funny. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026 The wink sealed the deal and the two spent more than 50 years as a couple, welcomed three children — Luke, Hannah, and Levi, who died in 2025 — and eventually grandchildren, who called him PoPo. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Verb
Chapin, the mechanic on the Shawmut crew, was a wiry 6-footer with a winking sense of humor and a penchant for machine-shop patter peppered with gleeful profanity, a likable 26-year-old who’d been a reliable factory hand and test driver before the fire. — Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026 The scents come in glass bottles with a retro appeal and details winking to the house’s couture tradition, such as the metal logo intertwining with a safety pin and a vintage-looking pear pump sprayer adorned with the fabrics of the ateliers. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
  1. nap
  2. minute
  3. blink
  4. twinkle
  5. gleam
  6. ignore
  7. heartbeat
  8. flash
Noun
  • Oppressively hot, lie-down-and-take-a-nap hot, hydration-break hot, the kind of hot that deadens feet.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
  • This one is made of organic cotton and looks perfect for a quick nap on the plane or in the backseat on a long road trip.
    — Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2026
Definition of nap
Noun
  • But those plans were derailed on Thursday when Egyptian authorities blocked the ship, the Scarlet Lady, from entering its waters at the last minute, according to Atlantis Events, days after the vessel was refused entry to Turkey.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Veteran forward Emma Cannon played 12 minutes and scored nine points as a key post presence late when Cardoso was in foul trouble.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of minute
Verb
  • There were warning signs blinking about the quality of the defenders for weeks and on Monday those prophecies were fulfilled.
    — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • In many cases, males blink about every five seconds while searching for females and females respond with flashes of their own about every two seconds.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of blink
Verb
  • In December, wreaths and twinkling lights transform the inn into a New England fantasy.
    — Air Mail, Air Mail, 4 July 2026
  • As the firework began to wane after well over a minute, zigzagging streaks of light spread into a canopy of twinkling flashes that resembled stars.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 June 2026
Definition of twinkle
Verb
  • The gleaming Oscar sat nestled in a row of teddy bears on Jackie Cazares’ bed — a one-of-a-kind keepsake in a room her parents have left largely untouched since the 9-year-old died in the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • There was one American flag sign lit, with some storefront decor gleaming red, white and blue, but the heat seemingly scared most away from celebrating July 4 before Saturday's big day.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of gleam
Verb
  • Instead of going home that night, Wilber found himself back in bed 23 of the detention center — his bond denied — trying to ignore a nasty odor permeating his 14-person cell.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Kennedy plans to ignore such noise in the lead-up to the draft.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of ignore
Noun
  • The double bass became both the heartbeat and the guide of jazz, supporting the ensemble while adding its own rhythmic and melodic voice.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026
  • While Moreno was asleep, nurses had been coming into the room to check on the baby’s heartbeat.
    — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of heartbeat
Verb
  • The governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency on Friday in response to flash flooding.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • An important index for chip stocks is flashing a technical warning sign, possibly signaling a drawdown of as much as 17%, according to investment bank BTIG.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Definition of flash

Phrases Containing wink

Browse Nearby Words

wining
wink
wink (at)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wink

Nglish: Translation of wink for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All