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 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 Mesh styles made a return in pointy-toe kitten-heel pumps in neutral colors while the Babouche design was reinterpreted in a python print or black satin that winked also to comfy red carpet moments. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 8 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winked
Verb
  • After dinner, the lights dimmed and a screen blinked on.
    Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Yamamoto has rarely blinked since.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • My astrologer’s eyes twinkled with infuriating delight.
    Jessie Rosen, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
  • 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
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
  • For weeks, the FDC, from its communication staff to Secretary Mark Inch, has ignored questions from reporters about how many inmates were being tested, how many tests were coming back positive, how many were coming back negative and how many were pending.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The woman expresses frustration that her financial reality seems ignored.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Babycatcher looked up at the sky and squinted.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And his feel and vision on the puck flashed.
    Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The lookalike duo flashed their identical warm smiles while attending the Mothers & Daughters 4 Choice event back in '94.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 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
  • The lights inside Lynn Family Stadium flickered in celebration, as bells and cheers rang out.
    Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Ten minutes later — now 200 feet deeper into the cave — Tim's light began to dim and then flickered out.
    Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Winked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winked. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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