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 Baronessa winked and stated that the princess was an inspiration to others. Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 Ten hours later, its transponder winked back into life due north of Abu Dhabi, heading for Bahrain. Priyanjana Bengani, Bloomberg, 7 Mar. 2026 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 The last ember of Rope A winked out. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 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
  • While the sign has previously blinked one side at a time, appearing to rotate clockwise, Rand does not plan to have the lights blink moving forward.
    Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Birdie blinked slowly to clear her eyes, then carefully pressed the cold metal of the knife against her cheek.
    Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Before a big night out or even just dinner with friends, lids twinkled, cheekbones caught the light from every angle, and lip gloss doubled as a mirror.
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Animated pixie dust twinkled on the screen, courtesy of the fairy, Tinker Bell.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Further details can only be gleamed from the photos, but what’s plain to see is that the shoe shares much of the same shape as the LeBron 23.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That night, the northern lights gleamed cold and hard, and the moon bathed the whole landscape in bleak, eerie light.
    Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • And while in some cases online classes can’t be ignored, the preference is that players attend in the classroom.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • McNutt said as Murray squinted down at the stands and zoomed in to catch a photo of the pop superstar for his wife.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
  • Pok squinted against his bedroom's harsh, swinging light.
    Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Hancock, who flashed high-level plays last year as a safety, has primarily played as a nickel corner in Leonhard’s new scheme.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Douglas shows his skills and inexperience Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, the third-round pick, flashed some good and bad Friday, which has been his story in training camp.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After spending some time by the pool, a semi-Olympic lined with emerald and malachite mosaics that glinted in the soft, ambient light, followed by a quick trip to the sauna, I was escorted to my treatment room, about a half-flight of stairs up, where I was met by Marcia, my therapist.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • The silver Chrysler Sebring glinted when the sun kissed the parking lot in Temple, Texas, sitting by its lonesome.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • The neon lights began to move about briskly, like gleaming whirligig beetles, and the lights on the advertising tower closest to the stadium flickered across the Squirrel-brand margarine ad.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Above the roofs, like an alien protrusion, the lights on a faraway derrick flickered.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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