1
2
as in minute
a very small space of time
I turned to look away, and in a wink he was gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to gleam
to shoot forth bursts of light
fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 wink
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Now throw in the witchery of artificial intelligence and satellites over every corner of Earth and cameras catching every spy’s wink and nod, and nothing is safe for coordinating a bombing strike except for the secure room with the clouded windows.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
In the season premiere, Mari falls in Ben’s pit, which felt like either foreshadowing or just a winking tease about the common theory.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wink
Noun
With a wink and a knowing smile, Hermes (Sarah Taylor) guides the audience through a realm of stark contrasts, from the ominous storms of the world above to the infernal heat of Hadestown.
—News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Now throw in the witchery of artificial intelligence and satellites over every corner of Earth and cameras catching every spy’s wink and nod, and nothing is safe for coordinating a bombing strike except for the secure room with the clouded windows.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Like a Dickensian Andy Capp, Johnson is an uber-charming rogue, an everyman bluesy belter whose winking humor with a hint of the scoundrel are not entirely unlike Scott’s demeanor, though each man’s vocals, inflection and stage presence are/were clearly their own.
—Katherine Turman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
In the season premiere, Mari falls in Ben’s pit, which felt like either foreshadowing or just a winking tease about the common theory.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
Noun
-
Think: a long soak in the tub, taking an afternoon nap or simply lounging on the couch with a good book.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
-
Just don’t show up here expecting a quiet afternoon nap.—
Alex Schechter,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The song runs on for more than six minutes on the album, including a perfectly gnarly guitar solo from Freeman himself.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2025
-
Trolley lines where trains are now scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes could be scaled back to 30-minute headways.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Sarah Remes prepared herself for the sight of yellow caution tape and blinking police lights on her walk to work the morning of May 22.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
-
Markets stabilized on Thursday after the dual sell-off in stocks and bonds, but a key corner of the equity market is blinking a caution light on the economy.—
Jesse Pound,
CNBC,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
As evening sets in, grab a front-row seat by the water to catch the sunset, then cozy up under twinkling café lights with a s’mores kit in hand, perfect for roasting around the resort’s firepit.—
Angela Caraway-Carlton,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
-
Note that this is why planets typically don’t twinkle.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
The futuristic design features gleaming white concrete, glass and water in a complex of five buildings designed by famous Spanish architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela in 1998.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Grace Karin Zip-Front Midi Dress with Pockets A gleaming gold zipper down the front lends a dramatic flourish to this little black dress with a banded waist and cap sleeves.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
24 May 2025
-
The Wall Street Journal: Columbia University violated federal civil-rights law by ignoring the harassment of Jewish students by classmates, a government investigation found.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
The emotional heartbeat of the gang, Cancer is the one hugging people after blindsides and crying at the final tribal.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
31 May 2025
-
The app detects arrhythmias and irregular heartbeats, early signs of heart failure, indicators of coronary artery disease and heart valve abnormalities.—
Ramsha Waseem,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
It's now known to flash in both radio waves and X-rays for a two-minute period every 44 minutes.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
28 May 2025
-
The player bet $1.75, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen until a jackpot message appeared.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share