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 drone's indicator blinked red; Pok raised his AR glasses and read- ily offered his irises for scanning.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Trump blinked, pausing and watering down many of those tariffs in response to extreme market pressure.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 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
  • Ames is one of thousands of women who have felt ignored by medical professionals.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Since ancient times, athletes have often ignored the rules in their quest for glory.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 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
  • Leite, a rising young guard who flashed promise during her debut season with Golden State, heads to Portland, where former Valkyries president of basketball operations Vanja Černivec is now the GM.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • That should have been strike three but Wegner, a crew chief working his 29th major league season, flashed 1-2 for the count.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 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
  • 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
  • Delicate little needles in the windows that flickered up and then sifted back down.
    Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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