as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
for too long the school just winked at the young athletes' hooliganism, dismissing it as a case of "boys being boys"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wink (at)
Verb
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Authorities said Sutton ignored multiple commands to comply and resisted detention.—
Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
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The background checks on Cook, if in fact there were any, were totally ignored.—
Verb
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Still, some of these foibles are easier to forgive when seen in service of the greater good.—
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Reading the media these days, you would be forgiven for thinking the technology, journalism, and investment communities were inadvertently wishing an AI ‘bubble’ into existence.—
Verb
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Under pressure to fill vacancies quickly, agencies often rush background checks, shorten psychological screenings, and overlook red flags that would normally disqualify candidates.—
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With multilingual capabilities in over 50 languages, the robots eliminate language barriers that can slow service and leave guests feeling overlooked.—
Verb
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Mel explained that Chris was impressed by the move, and the two went for a run and had dinner together the next day.—
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In an interview with Entertainment Weekly's sister publication, PEOPLE, makeup artist Nick Barose explained his inspiration for creating Madigan's glam for the evening.—
Verb
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Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry in early October cleared Rodarte and Trumm of potential wrongdoing, deeming their gunfire in response to Oliver as justified self-defense.—
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Some of Ross’s actions could be legally justified, Ramsey noted.—
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Cite this Entry
“Wink (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wink%20%28at%29. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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