wink 1 of 2

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

wink

2 of 2

verb

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
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
Jackie concludes her thought with a nod, a smile, and a wink. Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 Sounds like there’s a big hole in the market (wink, wink, other denim brands). Eva Thomas, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
The same girls who’d posted winking pop-culture-reference couples Halloween costumes a few years ago were now posting their toddlers in their own pop-culture-reference costumes. Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026 Made in the earnest style of a disease-of-the-week television movie without ever tipping over into winking irony, the film is both funny and tender. Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink
Noun
  • The student center features comfortable leather furniture – easier to clean up spills – arranged in groupings so students could chat with each other, perhaps study together, perhaps even just take a nap.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Now’s a great time to score chaise lounge chairs, patio conversation sets, and nap-worthy bean bag chairs.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Without him, Heiskanen and Harley had to log even heavier minutes in an already long and grueling game.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Catastrophic wildfires are not new for Chile, but this year’s stand out for how fast the flames spread, devouring an average of nearly 25 acres every minute.
    Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And the reality is that this is a high-stakes game of chicken, in which both sides are hoping that the economic pressure will force the other side to blink first.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Wilson is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town in Jackson Hole.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The third inspection got China Star twinkling again.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The bounty of wide, unrestrained, eyes-twinkling smiles genuinely brought me joy.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • There was, of course, one gleaming exception to the cultural stranglehold that Sinners versus One Battle After Another held last winter.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Fresh off his first-ever water fast, the whites of his eyes gleam like pearls.
    Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The federal judge in that case ruled that a jury could find that State Farm had acted in bad faith if the plaintiffs' lawyers demonstrated that the company ignored certain kinds of hail damage.
    Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
  • In crush, puncture, and saw tests, the battery produced no smoke or flames – a safety profile that's hard to ignore.
    Omar Kardoudi April 28, New Atlas, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • His heart can beat rapidly or stop completely, and his chest can rise and fall in accordance with his heartbeat.
    Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Just to get my heartbeat (up) and get on the treadmill, do a bit of running and weights.
    Kim Willis, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The one that keeps flashing in my mind in the current call to ratchet down the incendiary rhetoric was Don Jr’s reaction to the near-fatal 2022 home invasion attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
    Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
  • To the left, drivers pay no mind to a flashing beacon announcing the school zone, said Gerardo Sandoval, a parent of a student at the south Charlotte magnet school.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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