as in to stare
to take a look with the eyes narrowed (as because of difficulty seeing)
He squinted in her direction, but couldn't make her out with the sun behind her.
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1
as in strabismus
British
difficulty in seeing resulting from improper alignment of the eyes
The child was born with a squint that was eventually corrected through surgery.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squint
Kelso Harper, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
Amid the eucalyptus groves at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, local bug enthusiast Sasha Hernandez squinted through the draping green leaves, searching for flashes of black and orange — the wings of migratory monarch butterflies traveling from west of the Rocky Mountains.
—Olivia Maule, Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
England’s No 1, filling the huge gloves of Mary Earps following her retirement, was born with a severe squint.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for squint
Verb
The pup, named Eba, appeared immune to being rushed and trotted behind at the farthest extent of her leash, tongue lolling, black eyes squinting in the afternoon sun.
—Noun
Byrne has never been better, sharper, or more intimidating as a screen presence, carrying the movie with squints and frowns.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for squint
Verb
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Watch Lottie interact with elk in wholesome moment Video footage recorded by Dewey shows Lottie staring towards the camera as an elk approaches and cautiously walks closer to her.—
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In doing so, the artist grants his subjects newfound interiority, as viewers are invited to convene and gather rather than simply stare.—
Noun
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Barrel Cards The barrel card exercise can help improve symptoms of strabismus (crossed eyes).—
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One of his conditions, strabismus,has also been reported by researchers to be behind the genius of Leonardo da Vinci, allowing the painter to perceive the world differently and facilitating his accurate depiction of three-dimensional objects on flat surfaces.—
Noun
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In a city with a constant gaze towards progress, The Milestone seemed like yet another relic left behind.—
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Too thick of a mascara coat, and suddenly my gaze droops.—
Verb
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Orange-and-white clown fish peered from rust-red anemones; neon-green parrotfish nibbled at bubblegum-pink brain coral.—
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In a July 2025 post celebrating her birthday, Bündchen shared an adorable photo of her and her son peering onto a waterfall together.—
Noun
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Benjamin Franklin would invent bifocals in 1874, Thomas Young would spot the uneven curvature of the cornea (astigmatism) in 1801, and steel wire would be developed in metal frames after 1837.—
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Myopia is when someone can see objects close-up but their vision becomes blurred when looking at objects farther away, and astigmatism is a condition in which either the eye’s cornea or lens has a different shape than normal, causing blurred vision.—
Noun
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Robitaille quickly picks her up, shooting a glare at her husband as their daughter begins to cry.—
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The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.—
Verb
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Stopped and glanced at the side garden on the way out.—
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Pam glances at her father, who will be eating turkey sandwiches and cornbread stuffing and roasted Brussels sprouts forever.—
Noun
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Thinking globally and acting locally means electing people of vision, not people who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag without a lobbyist lighting their way under the table, or down the wrong path where for-profit companies rule and teachers are scapegoated for society's failures.—
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Harbaugh discussed his vision for the team and his coaching staff.—
Cite this Entry
“Squint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squint. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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