winked

Definition of winkednext
past tense of wink
1
as in blinked
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

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2
3
4
as in ignored
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 winked Sartorial outerwear crafted from archival fabrics mingled with pieces that winked to utility and workwear, with a few styles looking to balance these two souls in a single design, such as double wool hooded capes and coats. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026 Stayton then reportedly winked and told the protester they'd be charged with a felony. Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025 Farther up, on Observatory Hill, tall cryptomeria trees were silhouetted in the darkening evening, and down in the valleys, lights winked on like reflections of the planets and stars appearing in the sky. Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025 The last ember of Rope A winked out. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 With both drugs, the alignment of brain waves shifted in similar ways as the animals’ consciousness waned and then winked out. Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 Dangling like Christmas ornaments, the aluminum plates winked in the sun, evoking Yuletide in the depths of July. Monitor Contributors, Christian Science Monitor, 11 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winked
Verb
  • The electricity went out at New Terrain Brewing Company in east Golden for about 36 hours, was on for a few hours and blinked out again for hours.
    Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
  • So who actually blinked first and who really came out on top?
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Animated pixie dust twinkled on the screen, courtesy of the fairy, Tinker Bell.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Coakley’s eyes twinkled with a sense of pride.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • That experience — viewing such an alien terrain at close range as the sun gleamed over the horizon, highlighting the troughs and peaks of a foreign land — brought home for the crew how unique our home planet is.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
  • For a long time, the property gleamed in the daylight with its white, ornate facade against lush green landscaping and often at night, as well, with twinkling holiday lights attached to almost every surface.
    Heather McRea, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But documents released by the government in March, after being forced to by Parliament, showed Starmer ignored red flags raised by his staff about the appointment.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • America’s $39 trillion national debt has become a familiar political football—batted around in budget negotiations, invoked at congressional hearings, and largely ignored between elections.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Pok squinted against his bedroom's harsh, swinging light.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Dressed in periwinkle, Annie took off her shoes in front of the sunflowers, sat down, squinted into the sunlight and smiled.
    Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Carmen Electra flashed a peace sign while rocking a multi-print maxi dress at the T-Mobile G1 Tone-Def After-Party in 2009.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • And his creativity and cleverness flashed on some really slick, eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head sequences.
    Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Beaded coats glinted with star-chart embroidery.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
  • In 2023, astronomers reported that some of these satellites were already photobombing images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, as sunlight glinted off their surfaces leaving bright trails that erase, obscure or mimic genuine cosmic signals.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Families, in their various flavors, have been essential to television since that light first flickered on.
    Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
  • This world flickered into view between 1933 and 1943, a decade when the US government treated art as a public resource rather than a private luxury.
    John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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