wink 1 of 2

wink

2 of 2

verb

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
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
An Easter egg to me is more of a wink to the fans or narrative foreshadowing in some kind of way. Emily Longeretta, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025 Though the movie is accessible to new fans, there are plenty of winks and nods for diehards who can understand what might seem, to the uninitiated, like cheesy moments—a cringeworthy English rap verse, a scene parodying the product placement in K-dramas—as self-aware jokes. Yvonne Kim, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
And these aren’t just winking cameos meant to elicit knowing nods; Rogen and Goldberg turn many of them into genuinely funny performances. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025 But when the lights go off and consciousness winks out, another, deeper process goes to work. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
Noun
  • Several of our testers noted their children were immersed in imaginative adventures that had pets swinging, taking baths, and tucking in for royal naps.
    Emily Glover, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
  • However, Joe proceeded to get blackout drunk at the pool party with the other couples, went back to nap in their room, and told Madison not to come with him.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Yet there was Priester, about 30 minutes before the first pitch, warming up in center field, in full view of the Cubs and everyone else at American Family Field.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • There was a four-minute highlight video looking back at the season.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Republicans in Congress think Democrats are destined to blink given the costs to constituents.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Small things, like individual eyelashes or grains of sand, often get flushed out on their own through a combination of tearing up and blinking, per Mount Sinai.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Formula One is headed to the Lion City’s Marina Bay Street Circuit to compete under the twinkling stars and lights for the Singapore Grand Prix.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The twinkling synth lines and thumping four-on-the-floor pattern create a groove as irresistible as the woman Iwar yearns for.
    Heran Mamo, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Elanco's gleaming headquarters stands four stories tall, with floor-to-ceiling blue windows on every side and several balconies that overlook the 75-acre campus and provide an unobstructed view of the downtown skyline.
    Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Brecher's image captured spectacular detail in the sweeping spiral arms of the 260,000 light-year-wide galaxy gleaming with the intense light of star formation.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The collapse of water security in Iran has been decades in the making and is rooted in a mania for megaprojects—dam building, deep wells, and water transfer schemes—that ignored the fundamentals of hydrology and ecological balance.
    Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Pierre LeBrun’s viewpoint Arpon, no doubt the Hughes contract injects a fresh comparable into the discussion that neither the Canadiens nor the Hutson camp can ignore, though using comparables always seems to be in the eye of the beholder.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The team is inspired by its heartbeat.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure, maintain a steady heartbeat, and keep blood vessels functioning properly.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On top of that, another potential sell signal is close to being flashed.
    Fred Imbert, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In some cases, 3 to 5 inches of rain might be possible, forecasters said, which could lead to flash flooding.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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