wink 1 of 2

wink

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to blink
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 to twinkle
to shine with light at regular intervals a lighthouse was winking in the distance

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in to ignore
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 wink
Noun
With a wink and a knowing smile, Hermes (Sarah Taylor) guides the audience through a realm of stark contrasts, from the ominous storms of the world above to the infernal heat of Hadestown. News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025 Now throw in the witchery of artificial intelligence and satellites over every corner of Earth and cameras catching every spy’s wink and nod, and nothing is safe for coordinating a bombing strike except for the secure room with the clouded windows. Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Like a Dickensian Andy Capp, Johnson is an uber-charming rogue, an everyman bluesy belter whose winking humor with a hint of the scoundrel are not entirely unlike Scott’s demeanor, though each man’s vocals, inflection and stage presence are/were clearly their own. Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025 In the season premiere, Mari falls in Ben’s pit, which felt like either foreshadowing or just a winking tease about the common theory. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
Noun
  • If napping interferes with your nighttime sleep, keep naps short and earlier in the afternoon.
    Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025
  • Catch an afternoon nap, grab a lawn chair and the June star map.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • The song runs on for more than six minutes on the album, including a perfectly gnarly guitar solo from Freeman himself.
    Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
  • Trolley lines where trains are now scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes could be scaled back to 30-minute headways.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • The 16 Best Train Rides for Spotting Fall Foliage in the South Head To A Drive-In Movie Few summer rituals feel more quintessential than parking at a drive-in, tailgate open, fireflies blinking in the background.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
  • Birdsall did his bit, then grinned like a kid as the motel sign blinked to life in red, blue and yellow like a neon mirage or a road-tripper’s dream.
    Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • There, guests can gaze upon the twinkling city lights and the River Torrens below.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2025
  • The bright stars Altair and Vega will be visible twinkling above the moon, while the planets Saturn and Venus will become visible climbing ever higher into the eastern sky to the left of the moon in the hour preceding sunrise.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Grace Karin Zip-Front Midi Dress with Pockets A gleaming gold zipper down the front lends a dramatic flourish to this little black dress with a banded waist and cap sleeves.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 30 May 2025
  • The futuristic design features gleaming white concrete, glass and water in a complex of five buildings designed by famous Spanish architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela in 1998.
    Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Public health is too important to rely on speculation and too important to ignore when the data speaks for itself.
    Olga Bolden-Tiller, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The emotional heartbeat of the gang, Cancer is the one hugging people after blindsides and crying at the final tribal.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 31 May 2025
  • The app detects arrhythmias and irregular heartbeats, early signs of heart failure, indicators of coronary artery disease and heart valve abnormalities.
    Ramsha Waseem, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • It's now known to flash in both radio waves and X-rays for a two-minute period every 44 minutes.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 May 2025
  • The player bet $1.75, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.
    Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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