winked

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 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 The cream itself was white, but the moniker winked to a mineral complex found in black volcanic rocks on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria. Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winked
Verb
  • On the mountains, the unattended sheep raised their faces to the sky and blinked.
    Ann Patchett, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Disney blinked once and could just as easily blink again.
    Lizz Winstead, Time, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Finn’s eyes, wide and wonderful, twinkled under the Mile High moonlight as the young girl took the stage for the first time.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
  • The multicolored under glow on Motley’s Hellcat twinkled while attendees moseyed around the car, pointing fingers and asking questions.
    Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • An abundance of kitschy wall decorations (fuzzy dice, fake flowers, party streamers) gleamed under flashing lights, casting the room in lurid shades of pink and green.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Using Essie’s Good as Gold layered with Lights Lacquer glitter, the team achieved nails that gleamed like jewelry.
    Essence, Essence, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The litigation in that case resolved hundreds of lawsuits alleging the company ignored red flags while filling prescriptions for opioid pain medication.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Mun-ju doesn’t plan to fall for San-ho so quickly after her husband’s death, but the heightened emotion of life-or-death situations spur a sizzling chemistry and deep connection that cannot be ignored.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The girl’s dark-brown eyes flashed angrily.
    Domenico Starnone, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Miss Sammie flashed the scolding look Jean had known since childhood, though playfully now.
    David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Chalk dust glinted like pollen or asbestos in the sunshine coming through the window.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Pans, scoured, hung from hooks; knives glinted in ascending size.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Candles flickered against the sunset at Marine Park on Friday as local activists gathered for a vigil for the three victims of Wednesday’s shooting at a Dallas ICE facility.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Even Seldon flickered between digital and physical selves, his split consciousness pushing conflicting agendas that unsettled the followers who depended on him.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fforme’s liquid silk dresses shimmered with ease, and Ulla Johnson’s abstract painterly prints struck a vibrant chord.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The gold and cream jacquard shimmered with each movement, the intricate pattern gave the suit a rich, almost tapestry-like dimension.
    Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 15 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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