wink 1 of 2

noun

Definition of winknext
1
as in nap
a short sleep I wasn't able to catch a wink during the entire flight

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2
as in minute
a very small space of time I turned to look away, and in a wink he was gone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wink

2 of 2

verb

ˈwiŋk How to pronounce wink (audio)
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

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2
as in to twinkle
to shine with light at regular intervals a lighthouse was winking in the distance

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3
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire

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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

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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 wink
Noun
While the title and baseball team setting are clearly a wink to Bad News Bears, the book is an original idea in a different genre that has no connection to the classic sports movie. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 Foregrounding the audience’s lived reality before its fictional love story can even begin, that meta wink feels unmistakably like Gluck’s work. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
When an airless body, such as an asteroid, occults (or hides) a background star the star's light winks out in an instant, before suddenly reappearing. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The film’s mix of musical swagger, YA melodrama, and winking world-building hit a nerve, turning its core cast into fixtures for a generation that grew up streaming the soundtrack on a loop. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
  1. nap
  2. minute
  3. blink
  4. twinkle
  5. gleam
  6. ignore
  7. heartbeat
  8. flash
Noun
  • If your dream sofa needs to look polished but can also accommodate a serious weekend nap, the Lido Chaise Sectional is built for both.
    — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Duncan said Willow's most human-like quality is a Sunday nap.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nap
Noun
  • The idea that these two would have a five-minute-or-less breakup conversation, then plop down on the couch and happily embark on an acid trip together, strains credulity a little, even for this bizarre, codependent friend group.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Finally, after about four minutes of confusion, Marine One and the tower make contact.
    — Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of minute
Verb
  • Late April is when the trees’ flowers cover the city with their white fur, appearing on tables, on floors, and under beds, making people blink, sneeze, and curse.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Witnesses at the blink-and-you-miss-it Oakland trial echoed much of what had already been heard this year by juries in Los Angeles, Santa Fe and Nashville.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of blink
Verb
  • The Hubble Space Telescope captured this twinkling image of NGC 6723, or the Chandelier Cluster, a globular star cluster located 27,000 light-years away in our Milky Way galaxy.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Be sure to plan at least one evening on-property to catch the sunset, when the mountains are painted in shades of pink and purple before giving way to a sky filled with twinkling stars.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of twinkle
Verb
  • Besides the world’s first Ferris wheel, the grounds included 200 gleaming white buildings illuminated at night by 160k lightbulbs.
    — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Rows of gleaming tractors, combines and sprayers will be showcased just north of Des Moines, Iowa.
    — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of gleam
Verb
  • Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has denied accusations that the government ignored warnings about an impending mass border crossing from Morocco to the enclave of Ceuta.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The numbers are impossible to ignore, while Boteli’s bustling physical profile — two-footed, quick, and comfortable through the middle or out wide — means that a move to Europe’s top five leagues will soon be on the cards.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignore
Noun
  • The baby was born with a heartbeat but was not breathing, the couple told the Atlantic, and did not survive.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Davis, his wife and kids painted the picture of a family that had deep, meaningful connections to the heartbeat of this burgeoning southern metropolis in NASCAR country that, like so many cities, places its sports stars on a pedestal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbeat
Verb
  • During the same possession, the 6-foot, 280-pound Harris — who also plays on the Trojans’ offensive line — flashed for a quarterback pressure, forcing an errant pass.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Today, consumers are struggling with growing inflation and slowing entry-level hiring, and Jenner is turning from flashing her private jets and multiple mansions to highlighting the flash of rhinestones placed on her everyday goods.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of flash

Phrases Containing wink

Browse Nearby Words

wining
wink
wink (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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