as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
for too long the school just winked at the young athletes' hooliganism, dismissing it as a case of "boys being boys"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink (at)
Verb
-
The same is true of Guiteau’s eventual imprisonment and trial, which aren’t ignored but barely touch on the wackiness that actually ensued.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025 -
There were extremely rich philosophical traditions in the non-Western world that your great books classes completely ignore.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even amid a government shutdown, so much is happening in Washington, at such a rapid clip and such a high pitch, that a browser of The New York Times’ homepage could be forgiven for giving up and clicking straight through to Spelling Bee.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
9 Nov. 2025
-
You'd be forgiven for being a little sick of A Christmas Story, Bob Clark's beloved tale about 9-year-old Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and the Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle he so fiercely desires.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
While maintaining a healthy weight plays a role in mitigating cardiovascular and diabetes risk, the measurement alone overlooks the importance of muscle as a predictor of healthy aging and longevity.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The iconic 12th century Ajloun Castle overlooks rolling hills and olive groves, with dramatic panoramas and drone-friendly views.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Since proper vesicle recycling is crucial for brain communication, this mechanism could explain why patients experience diverse symptoms – from movement problems to memory loss – depending on which brain regions are affected first.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Speaking on The Allison Hagendorf Show, Perry, the lead singer, explained just how the stars aligned for 4 Non Blondes to take the stage together once again.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Critics also question whether demand will continue to grow at a fast enough pace to justify the investment.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Some investors are also skeptical whether future profit growth will continue to justify the enormous amounts of spending taking place.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Wink (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink%20%28at%29. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share