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
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winkle
Verb
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Thirteen-year-old boys flashing smiles over their birthday cakes, gleaming with happiness in the buttery glow of the candles.—
Jesmyn Ward,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026 -
With just some warm water, dish soap and a little patience, your window screens can go from grimy to gleaming in an afternoon.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His yearning for Ruben’s approval and fear of his own desires are so acute that, when the show flashes forward to Niall’s wedding again, one half expects to see a woman waiting at the altar.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Scouts reportedly raved about his mobility, which flashed most obviously in pass protection.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Jumeirah is the closest beach to Downtown, and the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa still loom large, best viewed from the rooftop Mercury Lounge, with its Arabian archways framing the twinkling city.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dinner was delicious, almost as delectable as the golden rays of sunset sparkling over the river.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
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Not every song can be polished aggressively enough to sparkle.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions.—
Jack Harvel
April 20,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
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The sun was shining for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and an unsuspecting beachgoer.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Elsewhere, delicate capiz shells have been hand-cut and hand-painted to create wall coverings in shimmering shades of emerald green and metallic grey, and artworks by local creatives such as Yasser Al Mulla and Azzam Al Mannai adorn walls.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Its Morning Blue dial, hand-hammered in 18-karat white gold, is meant to evoke the sky at first light, though its shimmering surface also suggests the rippling sea.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But this Roundabout production at Studio 54 — the site of glittering debauchery of another era — just isn’t all that much fun, being mostly effortful, maddening and finally exhausting.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
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In a bravura performance, Llúcia Garcia stars as 18-year-old Marina, who travels to the glittering seaside town of Vigo determined to uncover information on her father.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the gutter, the usual New Orleans blend of litter and live-oak leaves was topped by a shimmering layer of pink fish scales glinting in the sun.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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The path down is picturesque, but peppered with black snakes glinting in the sun.—
Kristina Kasparian,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Winkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winkle. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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