winks 1 of 2

noun

plural of wink
1
as in naps
a short sleep I wasn't able to catch a wink during the entire flight

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2
as in minutes
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

winks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of wink
1
as in blinks
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 twinkles
to shine with light at regular intervals a lighthouse was winking in the distance

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

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4
as in ignores
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 winks
Noun
From New York’s insistence that low ponies and naked nails are, indeed, chic, to Milan’s cheeky winks of morning-after makeup and good-bad-hair days, designers and artists made room to play. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 However, the film’s candy-colored palette (derived from a box of macarons), New Romantic–heavy soundtrack, and countless contemporary winks (eagle-eyed fans will spot those lilac Converse sneakers in the exhibition) are singlehandedly Sofia. — Stephanie Sporn, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 It’s presented without winks or nudges, neither as a joke nor necessarily foolish. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 The new Scary Movie, from writer-stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans and director Michael Tiddes, opens with knowing winks to the 2000 original film, which featured Electra in a scene inspired by Drew Barrymore's opening scene in Scream. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026 There are a lot of knowing nods and winks to past horror landmarks as well, notably Videodrome and The Shining, and more than a few gentle ribbings of the clichés of the Golden Age of slashers. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026 Her work explores healing from childhood trauma, perfectionism, motherhood, and the quiet synchronistic winks that guide us to the miracles awaiting us. — Literary Hub, 15 May 2026 The actress stars as Cathy in Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel—and so far, the press tour has been filled with knowing winks and nods to the source material. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026 As for the music, it’s aptly encoded with cosmic winks and shrugs — layers of paradoxical noises that feel messy and mannered, casual and serious, loose and tight, hungry and wise. — Chris Richards, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 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 When new employee Theint (Nandar Myint Lwin) tells a white lie to cover for her after an unauthorized bathroom break, San Kyi’s face turns positively radiant with gratitude, while Teint merely winks in response. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 July 2026 The film, from director Susanne Bier, opens September 11, and the first teaser showed the old house that was rebuilt meticulously, as well as the two Owens sisters getting up to a whole lot of witchy stuff and some sly winks. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026 The hotel itself is a rhapsody in clean, modern design that subtly winks to the legion efforts behind it. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Jan. 2026 But when the lights go off and consciousness winks out, another, deeper process goes to work. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 8 Aug. 2025 Referencing the Founder An impressive number of artworks and floral motifs pervade the vast store, winks to founder Christian Dior’s early days as a gallery owner and his lifelong love of plants. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winks
  1. naps
  2. minutes
  3. blinks
  4. flashes
  5. gleams
  6. ignores
  7. heartbeats
  8. squints
Noun
  • And that includes higher education, a sector where there are a lot of leadership naps.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This human-sized dog bed creates a cozy spot for afternoon naps, movie marathons, or curling up with a book, with plenty of room for your furry sidekick — or sidekicks — to stretch out next to you.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of naps
Noun
  • Slemmer was beaten and cut with a meat cleaver and a box cutter for somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • According to Rubin, online criticisms against the store emerged 15 minutes after Clarkson left the store.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of minutes
Verb
  • Time blinks by Kathy Vigiano measures time by how much her youngest son, John, has grown since her husband, NYPD Detective Joseph Vigiano, was killed in the 9/11 terror attacks.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Order eggs Benedict topped with two generous heaps of caviar and no one blinks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of blinks
Verb
  • This option from Vantamo flashes a bright light and emits a 130-decibel sound from dual speakers whenever the top pin is pulled, alerting passersby of the emergency and scaring off potential assailants.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The show then flashes forward to the other women emotionally processing the news of his overdose and coming together at Angie’s to console one another and share memories of Robert.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of flashes
Verb
  • Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light.
    — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter.
    — Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
Definition of gleams
Verb
  • Any strategy that ignores that skepticism is unlikely to survive the next election or to be funded by the Congress that is likely to emerge from it.
    — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026
  • But the unbridled embrace of aquaculture as a sustainable answer to feeding the planet ignores some very real costs.
    — Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignores
Noun
  • Poetic structure, such as cadence, meter and rhyme, invokes rhythms that tie into human heartbeats and breathing.
    — Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gabe wears a bracelet containing some of her final heartbeats and her fingerprint.
    — Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of heartbeats
Verb
  • Nashville — Steve Crook squints through the sun, scanning his surroundings with precision.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, Charles squints at the phone.
    — Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
Definition of squints

Phrases Containing winks

Browse Nearby Words

wink (out)
winks
winks (at)
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Cite this Entry

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

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