Synonyms of winking

winking 1 of 2

adjective

as in glancing

Related Words

• glancing
• flashing
• twinkling
• glistening
• flickering
• glaring
• blinding
• gleaming
• shimmering
• glittering
• sparkling
• flaring
• glinting
• shimmery
• glimmering
• scintillating
• scintillant
• aglitter
• flaming
• agleam
• blazing
• gemmy
• ardent
• sunny
• burning
• glistering
• shining
• coruscant
• burnished
• fiery
• red-hot
• dazzling
• beaming
• lambent
• incandescent
• polished
• shined
• combusting
• radiant
• luminous
• brilliant
• shiny
• glowing
• effulgent
• refulgent
• splendid
• ablaze
• lucent
• candescent
• lucid
• fulgent
• lustrous
• bedazzling
• clear
• sheeny
• bright
• ultrabright
• superbright

Dissimilar Words

• dim
• dusky
• dark
• dull
• darkened
• obscure
• blackened
• lackluster
• gloomy
• somber
• darkling
• unlit
• pitch-black
• dimmed
• obscured
• pitch-dark
• lightless
• shadowy
• murky
• darkish
• darksome
• pale
• shady
• cloudy
• unbright
• gray
• unbrilliant
• leaden
• tenebrous
• sunless
• shadowlike
• palish

winking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wink

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

• squinting
• blinking
• fluttering
• batting

2

as in twinkling

to shine with light at regular intervals

a lighthouse was winking in the distance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• twinkling
• flashing
• flickering
• blinking
• glinting
• glittering
• glistening
• sparkling
• shimmering
• flaring
• glancing
• glimmering
• scintillating
• spangling
• coruscating
• sparking
• glistering

3

as in gleaming

to shoot forth bursts of light

fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gleaming
• flashing
• glinting
• glittering
• shining
• shimmering
• twinkling
• glistening
• sparkling
• glancing
• glimmering
• glowing
• flaming
• winkling
• scintillating
• spangling
• coruscating
• glistering
• beaming
• lustering
• radiating
• blinding
• dazzling
• glaring
• flaring
• blazing
• bedazzling
• burning
• dazing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignoring
• conniving
• tolerating
• overlooking
• disregarding
• forgiving
• condoning
• excusing
• pardoning
• brushing (aside or off)
• passing over
• glossing (over)
• shrugging off
• glozing (over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• denying
• refusing
• frowning (on or upon)
• disapproving (of)
• disallowing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of winking

Verb

Her lyrics, like those of many of her biggest musical influences, are dense texts, full of winking allusions and subtle references to records, bands, and albums that have shaped her own songwriting. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

The statement wouldn’t be so condescendingly winking if the theorist’s contributions to their field weren’t drawn, word for word, from the academic work of the late Lauren Berlant, the first person thanked in the book’s acknowledgments. — Maya Binyam, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026

The film’s mix of musical swagger, YA melodrama, and winking world-building hit a nerve, turning its core cast into fixtures for a generation that grew up streaming the soundtrack on a loop. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026

For Lin, part of her goal in posting her surveillance selfies was a winking subversion of the all-seeing state. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Orbital mirrors flashing and winking back to Earth could distract airline pilots. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 July 2026

Two guys at the golf course are winking, and whispering, and tipping each other off. — Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 28 June 2026

The show ushered in a new era of winking, elbow-jabbing meta-musicals. — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 26 June 2026

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