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
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 If James wants to go home to Cleveland, hopefully there are promises — if not wink-wink agreements made — of ownership opportunities with the Cavaliers. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 14 July 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
  • Duncan said Willow's most human-like quality is a Sunday nap.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Perk That Actually Works For years, companies have competed to fill their offices with amenities meant to signal ambition—ping pong tables, nap rooms, office dogs, sprawling lounges.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 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
  • No one blinks at a pregnant Sarah constantly running through hails of gunfire — sans prenatal vitamins or a home.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Mug shots, camera footage, and interactive maps blink from the screens.
    — Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 13 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
  • Among the rows of gleaming cars was a 1972 Chevy El Camino in Aztec gold, shown by owner Bob Barnes of Highland Park.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In front of the Jabara family, the turquoise waters of Torch Lake gleamed alluringly in the July heat.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of gleam
Verb
  • The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Alicia McCalla, 56, a fiction writer who has been doing voice work for five years out of her home in Atlanta, decided to ignore union suggestions and clone her voice.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignore
Noun
  • Three years ago, FSU was undefeated, Travis was its heartbeat and Norvell appeared to have resurrected one of college football’s great empires.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For his, Connor chose a copy of Grant’s heartbeat from the hospital.
    — Susan Young, PEOPLE, 26 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

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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 2 Sep. 2026.

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