winking 1 of 2

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

2
3
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

Examples 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 winking
Verb
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 No one is winking or making fun, despite the fact that this father and son are extolling the beauty of the morning while inside a sunless bunker six miles underground. Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024 Whatever the noble title, Cronenberg wore the moniker with the same winking irony that suffuses so much of his work – using genre as a kind of Trojan horse to get his unique vision to travel. Ben Croll, Variety, 1 Dec. 2024 The pair stood close together as Swift smiled before winking and sticking her tongue out at the camera. Escher Walcott, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024 Directed by Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon), the Netflix feature boasts a strong voice cast as well as a narrative that successfully finds the middle ground between winking self-awareness and the suspension of disbelief that propels all Yuletide tales. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Oct. 2024 Some signed off with smiling or winking face emojis. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winking
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
  • See video … WATCH RAYMOND ARROYO – Biden rewarded murderers while ignoring the innocent and their families.
    Fox News, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
  • But should investors really be ignoring small caps in 2025?
    Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The Overton addition was beneficial for Alabama this season, and there is hope that Collins can produce something similar in 2025. Collins’ commitment fills a glaring need for the 2025 defense on the defensive line.
    Kennington Smith III, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024
  • This gap became even more glaring with Witty’s internal video remarks, where his dismissive tone came across as deflection rather than accountability.
    Molly McPherson, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Hisense’s MicroLED display can hit a blinding peak brightness of 10,000 nits.
    Chris Welch, The Verge, 6 Jan. 2025
  • The sky’s all-encompassing blue reached down to the shimmering — almost blinding — white snow, flowing transparently into the stream of the footpath.
    Andriy Sodomora (Tr. Sabrina Jaszi & Roman Ivashkiv), The Dial, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The music star stepped out in a glittering yet understated look alongside Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.
    Marissa Muller, WWD, 29 Dec. 2024
  • The pre-recorded performance saw the star decked in a glittering red suit and singing against a snowy backdrop.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This year there have been multiple flaring incidents, including planned flaring that occurred during maintenance work in February and several weeks in April and May.
    Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2024
  • Oil refining giant Valero must pay a $1.2 million penalty for major flaring incidents at its Benicia facility that spewed dark plumes of pollutants into neighborhoods, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday.
    Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2023
Adjective
  • Much like watching people paddle a boat, watching people carry heavy objects is not the most scintillating television.
    Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
  • The 120th World Series offers one of the most scintillating matchups in recent memory.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near winking

Cite this Entry

“Winking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winking. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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