as in glancing
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1
as in squinting
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
2
as in twinkling
to shine with light at regular intervals
a lighthouse was winking in the distance
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in gleaming
to shoot forth bursts of light
fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in ignoring
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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of winking
Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 June 2026
Chapin, the mechanic on the Shawmut crew, was a wiry 6-footer with a winking sense of humor and a penchant for machine-shop patter peppered with gleeful profanity, a likable 26-year-old who’d been a reliable factory hand and test driver before the fire.
—Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
The novel’s omniscient narrator can barely conceal their exasperation, relaying key details like place and time with a winking mix of hostility and resignation.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
The scents come in glass bottles with a retro appeal and details winking to the house’s couture tradition, such as the metal logo intertwining with a safety pin and a vintage-looking pear pump sprayer adorned with the fabrics of the ateliers.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Jim tests positive and, much to his horror, sees his abs winking out of existence one by one.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
Two guys at the golf course are winking, and whispering, and tipping each other off.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 17 May 2026
But the setting isn’t, say, a fairy tale village or a mermaid kingdom under the sea, to point at two Disney classics the film gives winking reference to.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Carlock and Means are masters at fourth-wall-breaking structure and winking, metatextual dialogue, and their ability to balance the goofiness of the series’ diversions with its straightforwardly heartwarming main narrative made each episode a breezy watch.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
His drawling, winking charm is front and center, and his attraction to our heroine feels both genuine and even quite protective, but his violent streak is so blasé as to be unnerving.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 June 2026
Chapin, the mechanic on the Shawmut crew, was a wiry 6-footer with a winking sense of humor and a penchant for machine-shop patter peppered with gleeful profanity, a likable 26-year-old who’d been a reliable factory hand and test driver before the fire.
—Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
The novel’s omniscient narrator can barely conceal their exasperation, relaying key details like place and time with a winking mix of hostility and resignation.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
The scents come in glass bottles with a retro appeal and details winking to the house’s couture tradition, such as the metal logo intertwining with a safety pin and a vintage-looking pear pump sprayer adorned with the fabrics of the ateliers.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Jim tests positive and, much to his horror, sees his abs winking out of existence one by one.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
Two guys at the golf course are winking, and whispering, and tipping each other off.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 17 May 2026
But the setting isn’t, say, a fairy tale village or a mermaid kingdom under the sea, to point at two Disney classics the film gives winking reference to.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Carlock and Means are masters at fourth-wall-breaking structure and winking, metatextual dialogue, and their ability to balance the goofiness of the series’ diversions with its straightforwardly heartwarming main narrative made each episode a breezy watch.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winking
Adjective
-
These gentler, more glancing interactions often result in a merger, too.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
22 May 2026
-
Glaser, from a very glancing stylistic consideration, looks like a multicam by comparison.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Aug. 2024
Verb
-
And though the wave is turning, Ahn is already squinting at the horizon for the next one.—
Joshua Encinias,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
-
Tuesday afternoon in the blazing heat, Semien emerged from the visitors’ clubhouse holding a bat and ready for BP, squinting his eyes to try to find Toboni across the field near the home dugout.—
Barry Svrluga,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Verb
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With their tiny, twinkling lights, fireflies are icons of a Georgia summer night.—
Charles Seabrook,
AJC.com,
6 June 2026
-
The Danish band’s newfound brightness is apparent from the start, as the album opens with twinkling glockespiel.—
Brendan Hay,
SPIN,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Jalen Brunson’s appearance on his float—amid a flurry of blue and orange confetti, the gleaming gold Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in hand—elicited a chant of MVP!—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
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Look west sky after sunset on June 17 to witness a slender crescent moon gleaming alongside the stars of the Beehive Cluster at the head of a dazzling planetary parade.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Beloved actor Ron Perlman fully leans into trying to make the contestants fail this task by forcing eye contact, asking them polite questions, rebuking their bad manners in ignoring him, and even doggedly getting into their personal space.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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Unfortunately, sometimes the brain is too efficient, leading us to cling to false information and unproductive habits while ignoring information that could clearly benefit us.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Its primary food source is the winter firefly (Diaphanes lampyroides), which attracts mates with a continuous, non-flashing light.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Following up on their brilliant 4-1 win over Paraguay a week ago would always be a tall task, but the Americans looked strong in the opening 45 minutes against the Aussies – though there remain some blinking warning signs about the Stars and Stripes’ defense.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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The royal, who was seen repeatedly blinking before jolting awake, was attending the annual ANZAC Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, which is held to commemorate Commonwealth soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada who served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations.—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Our favourite was the coco margarita, best consumed while sitting outdoors beneath stars and watching the flickering lights of nearby Nusa Penida and Lombok on the horizon.—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
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In line with the science of his time, which said that lunar craters were volcanic, Verne ascribes his flickering light to an eruption.—
Neil Oseman,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Winking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winking. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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