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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glancing
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of winking
Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
And these aren’t just winking cameos meant to elicit knowing nods; Rogen and Goldberg turn many of them into genuinely funny performances.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025
Both a send-up of, and winking tribute to, the splendor and ridiculousness of industry awards shows, Yang and Rogers started the Culture Awards in 2022, spinning off the bit from their hit podcast, Las Culturistas.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Ortega's inclusion in the film is itself a piece of meta-winking.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Beneath us is a shimmering expanse of untouched snow like powdered sugar, winking in the spring sun; the odd shadow; the frozen Fedaia Lake far below.
—Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2024
Another technique is using Hall’s narration for all the little internal monologue bits, the little winking one-liners that Dexter never says out loud.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
That extends beyond winking recommendations, down to nuts-and-bolts prep and bringing his full self to each and every day.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
The opening sequence, where McGuigan shamelessly apes Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, is reasonably entertaining, and McAvoy masticates the scenery with a winking fervor that befits the project, but the whole thing is unforgivably half-baked.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2021
Adjective
Scruffy City is a moniker the place holds with equal parts pride and winking good humor.
—Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
And these aren’t just winking cameos meant to elicit knowing nods; Rogen and Goldberg turn many of them into genuinely funny performances.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025
Both a send-up of, and winking tribute to, the splendor and ridiculousness of industry awards shows, Yang and Rogers started the Culture Awards in 2022, spinning off the bit from their hit podcast, Las Culturistas.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2025
Ortega's inclusion in the film is itself a piece of meta-winking.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Beneath us is a shimmering expanse of untouched snow like powdered sugar, winking in the spring sun; the odd shadow; the frozen Fedaia Lake far below.
—Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Dec. 2024
Another technique is using Hall’s narration for all the little internal monologue bits, the little winking one-liners that Dexter never says out loud.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
That extends beyond winking recommendations, down to nuts-and-bolts prep and bringing his full self to each and every day.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
The opening sequence, where McGuigan shamelessly apes Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, is reasonably entertaining, and McAvoy masticates the scenery with a winking fervor that befits the project, but the whole thing is unforgivably half-baked.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winking
Verb
-
In it, the student’s beaming; Kirk is squinting into the sun.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
An overly wide eye may mean that your dog is feeling threatened, while a small or squinting eye may suggest fear or stress.—
Dawn Kovell,
Mercury News,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And when the sun sets, the prairie’s endless horizon really shines—welcoming bright, twinkling stars.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The white beard, the twinkling eyes behind round spectacles, the mustache curled with wax at its ends are all real, all his.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For decades, wealthy Gulf Arab states cast themselves as oases of stability in a region mired in conflict, building gleaming capitals with fast-growing economies powered by by millions of foreign workers drawn to economic opportunity and a tax-free lifestyle.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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Stewart wore a pinkish brown tweed jacket with a double-breasted silhouette, peaked lapels, structured shoulders with shoulder pads, and gleaming golden buttons.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But being cautious doesn’t mean ignoring the risks.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Jeremiah has been ignoring Conrad’s texts, including a recent message wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Glaser, from a very glancing stylistic consideration, looks like a multicam by comparison.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Aug. 2024
-
Even so, Joonam is too scattershot and distanced from culture and politics to resonate with the news — potentially the film’s greatest draw — in more than a glancing way.—
Caryn James,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2023
Verb
-
In addition to a healthy contingent of federal firefighters, federal workers from the departments of agriculture, the interior, and others have a strong presence in the town, which has a lone blinking stop-and-go traffic light and no parking meters.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Since then, key changes to the costume have included the introduction of a more rounded, less cartoonish head — one that later evolved to allow for blinking and mouth movement.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The first photo in the carousel showed Brooks posing with her arms wrapped around her husband-to-be, flashing her ring as the couple posed for the camera in the black-and-white shot.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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With the flashing beacon crosswalk no longer a choice, one option would be to install a radar speed sign.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Through Laura’s protective eyes, this striver who has gotten her claws into Daniel is conniving, hypersexual, possibly a thief, definitely a liar.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Somehow, the upper hand never lingers long with Sally and Barnaby, drolly played by Gunning and Corden as a conniving Tweedledee and Tweedledum, loyal to no one and convinced their venality is justified by their father’s history of terrible parenting.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winking. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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