wink
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
winks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
winked,
past participle, past
-
winking
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
winks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
winked,
past participle, past
-
winking
present participle
-
to signal or convey by closing and opening one eye quickly.
Wink one eye if you need help later.
-
to close and open (one or both eyes) quickly.
-
to drive or force by opening and closing the eyes rapidly (usually followed by back oraway ).
She attempted to wink back the tears.
noun
-
a winking movement, especially of one eye in giving a hint or signal.
I gave the judges a wink of my eye to show my confidence.
-
a hint or signal given by closing and opening one eye rapidly.
Her wink assured me the plan was still on.
-
an act of closing and opening one eye rapidly.
-
the time required for closing and opening the eyes once; an instant or twinkling.
I'll be there in a wink.
-
a little flash of light; twinkle.
-
the least bit.
I didn't sleep a wink last night.
verb phrase
noun
verb
-
(intr) to close and open one eye quickly, deliberately, or in an exaggerated fashion to convey friendliness, etc
-
to close and open (an eye or the eyes) momentarily
-
(tr; foll by away, back, etc) to force away (tears, etc) by winking
-
(tr) to signal with a wink
-
(intr) (of a light) to gleam or flash intermittently
noun
-
a winking movement, esp one conveying a signal, etc, or such a signal
-
an interrupted flashing of light
-
a brief moment of time; instant
-
informal the smallest amount, esp of sleep See also forty winks
-
informal to give a hint
noun
Usage
What does wink mean? To wink is to close and reopen one or both eyes quickly, often as a subtle signal or hint to someone. To wink is also to shine with little flashes of light (to twinkle), as in Naomi gazed up at the winking stars and sighed. To wink can also mean to blink, but often it is reserved for the blinking of one eye. A wink is the act of winking. A wink is also the time it takes to wink. This is often used figuratively rather than literally, as in This year went by in a wink!A wink can also mean the least bit, as in I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. Because a wink is normally quick, the example sentence implies you didn’t get the smallest bit of sleep. Example: She winked at me from the other room, signalling that it’s time to leave.
Synonym Usage
Wink, blink refer to rapid motions of the eyelid. To wink is to close and open either one or both eyelids with a rapid motion, often intentionally or as a signal. To blink suggests an involuntary movement, sometimes due to a sleepy, dazed, or dazzled condition in which it is difficult to focus the eyes or see clearly: Bright sun makes most people blink.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
winksimple
-
winkssimple
-
have winkedperfect
-
has winkedperfect
-
am winkingprogressive
-
are winkingprogressive
-
is winkingprogressive
-
have been winkingperfect progressive
-
has been winkingperfect progressive
Past
-
winkedsimple
-
had winkedperfect
-
was winkingprogressive
-
were winkingprogressive
-
had been winkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wink1
First recorded before 900; Middle English verb winken, Old English wincian; cognate with German winken “to wave, signal”; the noun is derivative of the verb
Origin of wink2
First recorded in 1890–95; extracted from tiddlywinks
Explanation
When you wink, you quickly close and open one eye. Sometimes a wink indicates a joke, a secret, or affection — and sometimes it just means you got something in your eye. Whenever your jokester uncle winks at you, it's like a private signal letting you know that the next thing he says will be a tall tale. Your best friend's wink might mean "Can you believe what the math teacher just said?" A wink is an often humorous way to communicate without speaking — but it requires some understanding between the winker and the person seeing the wink. Otherwise, it's nothing but an eye twitch.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“The people who have the power to rip children from their families believe that it’s in a child’s best interest to have a brainrot device,” these moments suggest with a wink.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
The word “DeFiant” was a coy wink to this idea of decentralized currency, known as DeFi, the ostensible rationale for the new Trump–Witkoff platform.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
She also joined Madix in a meta ad for Sonic in which the two sip the fast-food chain’s new “Refreshers” and wink at their shared experiences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
It may wink at the industry’s unseen heroes, but who can afford to make art for art’s sake in the entertainment industry anymore?
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
She gives me a wink, like Auntie Idris knows exactly what I’m going to do.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
This gleefully silly stage version of the TV series stars Alex Brightman and Sara Chase in a production that winks at ‘Carousel,’ ‘The Music Man,’ ‘Oklahoma!’ and other classics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Though the characters are different, the vibes are very much “Derry Girls”-plus 20 years, and there are a couple of winks to the hit comedy.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026
This tragicomic result winks at the slight but important difference between artistry and stardom.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026
In her psychedelia-tinged guitar ballad, “Zarcillos de Plata,” she winks at her weakness for gangsters and bad boys, in whom she looks for something more profound beneath the surface.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2025
She winks at us and closes the door.
From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin
As a teenager, Cody noticed a girl named Rebecca during study hall and, according to Davis, winked at her from across the room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
This left Davies mock-floundering next to her, before she winked at the camera and grinned.
From BBC ● May 10, 2026
The space program’s dwindling wonder and joy winked out of existence, like a distant supernova.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
There are good reasons for that, thanks to the many hindsight analyses of ways Cosby may have winked at his alleged crimes through situations written in the show.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2025
The sun winked behind a bank of low-hanging clouds, turning their undersides rosy pink.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Julie Hesmondhalgh noticed Myha'la ostentatiously winking at Grant before she voted for him, which led the former Coronation Street actress to make one of the most impassioned - but mistaken - speeches of the night.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
In retrospect, his decision to largely avoid winking at the audience was a disaster.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
Dean’s set was full of classic stuff — pastel-hued horns, bossa nova piano, winking choreo from her full-suited backing band.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Through female solidarity, she said with a raised eyebrow and a winking smile, women can “stand up to anything, and anyone.”
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
Particles are constantly winking in and out of existence, like tiny Cheshire cats.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
