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
  • Dave Pasch made it five or six seconds into the sentence before the booth blinked out.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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
  • In front of the Jabara family, the turquoise waters of Torch Lake gleamed alluringly in the July heat.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Kraft argued that Macklemore’s presentation of the Israel-Hamas war ignored the actions of Hamas and contributed to divisiveness and hate.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Trump ignored warnings that Iran would respond by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz and attacking our allies and bases in the region.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 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
  • After Karol and her guests left the stage, giant screens on either side of the stage flashed videos from fans taking part in the song’s viral TikTok dance trend.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Gusto has flashed potential as a crosser during stretches of his Chelsea career, registering nine assists in 37 games across all competitions in that breakout 2023-24 season.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 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 stadium lights flickered off, and both teams stood awkwardly as officials huddled at the 20-yard line.
    — David Ubben, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Inexplicably, the lights flickered during the groom-mother dance.
    — Anna Raskind, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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