as in glancing
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in squinting
to rapidly open and close one's eyes
she winked several times to get the dust and grit out of her eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in twinkling
to shine with light at regular intervals
a lighthouse was winking in the distance
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in gleaming
to shoot forth bursts of light
fireflies winking in the darkness beyond our campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in ignoring
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
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Recent Examples of winking
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Carlock and Means are masters at fourth-wall-breaking structure and winking, metatextual dialogue, and their ability to balance the goofiness of the series’ diversions with its straightforwardly heartwarming main narrative made each episode a breezy watch.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
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
The installation is a winking reference to the Turing test, the 1950 thought experiment about whether a machine can credibly imitate a person.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The Belgian was a throwback in the most charming sense; a grinning, winking, slaloming magician who could earn the undying trust of even the most collectivist coach.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Its only fault, really, is the winking, ironic tone the narration (spoken by Liev Schreiber) sometimes takes, as if the sport isn't quite worth the trouble the film is going through.
—Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
But these moments are lights winking in a vast and enveloping mist.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The overexaggerated femininity, in Linda Cho’s frosting-on-an-Easter-cake costumes, is its own winking critique.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Carlock and Means are masters at fourth-wall-breaking structure and winking, metatextual dialogue, and their ability to balance the goofiness of the series’ diversions with its straightforwardly heartwarming main narrative made each episode a breezy watch.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
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
The installation is a winking reference to the Turing test, the 1950 thought experiment about whether a machine can credibly imitate a person.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The Belgian was a throwback in the most charming sense; a grinning, winking, slaloming magician who could earn the undying trust of even the most collectivist coach.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Its only fault, really, is the winking, ironic tone the narration (spoken by Liev Schreiber) sometimes takes, as if the sport isn't quite worth the trouble the film is going through.
—Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026
But these moments are lights winking in a vast and enveloping mist.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winking
Adjective
-
Glaser, from a very glancing stylistic consideration, looks like a multicam by comparison.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Aug. 2024
-
Even so, Joonam is too scattershot and distanced from culture and politics to resonate with the news — potentially the film’s greatest draw — in more than a glancing way.—
Caryn James,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2023
Verb
-
Whether 2026 is the year, or just the year fans started squinting at the schedule, is the watercooler question worth holding onto until that first Monday in May.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The family smiles while dressed casually and barefoot, squinting from the sun's rays.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
29 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
-
Both had bought into the Soviet Union’s vision of Pripyat as a gleaming new city that would accompany the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The service As polished as the gleaming white-and-grey marble everywhere, and more down-to-earth than the lavish décor might suggest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors accused the trust, which convinced a federal district judge to order a temporary pause in construction, of ignoring claims that the project is needed to bolster national security.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But three days after withdrawing the lawsuit, Florida sued CMS for a third time, accusing the federal agency of ignoring the state’s public records request related to CMS’ approval of the KidCare expansion.—
Daniel Chang,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Its primary food source is the winter firefly (Diaphanes lampyroides), which attracts mates with a continuous, non-flashing light.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Heidi did it in back-to-back months without even blinking.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The lights offer eight modes, including seven blinking options and one steady setting.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Absorptive, addictive, violent (and by then near-universal, with televisions flickering in ninety-five per cent of American homes), TV was officially a bad mom.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sensing something was wrong, the family looked out a back window and noticed a flickering light.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Winking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winking. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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