Thesaurus results for WINKLE

winkle

verb

Definition of winkle

as in to gleam

to shoot forth bursts of light under a canopy of winkling stars, the campers bedded down for the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for winkle

Verb

The gleaming Oscar sat nestled in a row of teddy bears on Jackie Cazares’ bed — a one-of-a-kind keepsake in a room her parents have left largely untouched since the 9-year-old died in the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

— Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
There was one American flag sign lit, with some storefront decor gleaming red, white and blue, but the heat seemingly scared most away from celebrating July 4 before Saturday's big day.

— Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of gleam

Verb

The governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency on Friday in response to flash flooding.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 10 July 2026
An important index for chip stocks is flashing a technical warning sign, possibly signaling a drawdown of as much as 17%, according to investment bank BTIG.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 10 July 2026

Definition of flash

Verb

The lithe Pettet then sparkled as Mata Bond, the product of a love affair between Niven’s 007 and the spy Mata Hari, in the Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967).

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
Spray and wipe away with a soft cloth for sparkling clean results.

— Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 7 July 2026

Definition of sparkle

Verb

Big batteries, which store energy when the sun isn’t shining and wind isn’t blowing, are fixing renewables’ intermittency issues.

— Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026

Definition of shine

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
In their gowns and bowties, guests giddily slurp mounds of glinting caviar off the back of their hand.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 June 2026

Definition of glint

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.

Browse Nearby Words

winking (out)

winkle

winkled

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Winkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winkle. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of winkle

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulcrum

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes