squint 1 of 2

verb

Definition of squintnext
as in to stare
to take a look with the eyes narrowed (as because of difficulty seeing) He squinted in her direction, but couldn't make her out with the sun behind her.

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squint

2 of 2

noun

1
as in strabismus
British difficulty in seeing resulting from improper alignment of the eyes The child was born with a squint that was eventually corrected through surgery.

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2
as in stare
chiefly British an especially brief instance of looking Take a squint at this!

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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 squint
Verb
Some took up the pairs of binoculars provided for better viewing, while most simply squinted and pointed into the distance. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Bathed in the glow of the late-afternoon light, the firefighters look skyward, squinting into the sun. — Thomas E. Franklin, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
Shake the ball, close your eyes, squint as the letters become clear—yes? — Hazlitt, 7 Jan. 2026 And his method is when in doubt, squint. — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for squint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squint
  1. stare
  2. strabismus
  3. gaze
  4. peer
  5. astigmatism
  6. glare
  7. glance
  8. vision
Verb
  • Walking into a room to do some task or other, they’ll get stuck obsessively staring at the door hinges.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
  • One man, summing up the shock, anger and frustration for everyone, stared straight ahead and at one in particular, gathering up whatever air was left in his lungs and yelled one more f-bomb for good measure.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of stare
Noun
  • The teen now hopes that EYEVA could one day help those with strabismus on a large scale, and perhaps prevent many from needing invasive corrective surgery.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Barrel Cards The barrel card exercise can help improve symptoms of strabismus (crossed eyes).
    — Laura Schober, Health, 12 Feb. 2025
Definition of strabismus
Noun
  • Finn — whose gaze is wearily abstracted in one moment, zealously blind the next — is building up a first-rate catalogue of women well past the verge.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • With shame, this feeling is social, connected to the fear of someone else’s disapproving gaze.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of gaze
Verb
  • Depending on the time of year, your location and the weather, your hopes to see the night sky in real life might not be as easy as heading into the backyard and peering up.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Roman, named after NASA’s first female executive, is able to look at a patch of sky 100 times larger than the James Webb Space Telescope can, and peer more than 10 billion light years away, collecting images of the early epochs of the universe.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of peer
Noun
  • Each eye may include additional values for astigmatism, bifocals, or progressive lenses.
    — Emma Clapp, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
  • One program shared the story of a toddler whose screening identified astigmatism in both eyes, leading to an eye exam and glasses.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of astigmatism
Noun
  • The glare cast by the 74%-lit waxing gibbous moon will hide fainter shooting stars for much of the night.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • He was constantly interrupted by phone calls, the glare of television lights and accepted his good wishes of his friends across the country.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of glare
Verb
  • As Grace and Todd approach the president’s limo, a small spark can be seen glancing off of the front of the car.
    — Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Ambrossi can’t sit still, and has left his hotel to speed-walk through the city, speaking rapidly and barely glancing at his phone screen.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of glance
Noun
  • Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss, hearing loss and balance issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The condition can cause memory, vision, hearing and balance issues.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of vision

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Cite this Entry

“Squint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squint. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squint

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squint

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