squinting

verb

present participle of squint
as in peering
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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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 squinting The former Charlotte Observer photographer is walking beneath power lines along North Myers Street, looking up, looking down, looking all around, squinting in the midday August sun. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026 Samsung Samsung Galaxy Prime Day Deal The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is built for anyone tired of squinting at tiny screens to get work done. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 Bathed in the glow of the late-afternoon light, the firefighters look skyward, squinting into the sun. — Thomas E. Franklin, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 But that would require a lot of squinting, and that is terrible for your eyesight. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Humans are able to parse both layers—try squinting or stepping back— but AIs can’t. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 The cops arrived hours past midnight, turning on the lights to reveal an army of dazed, squinting faces. — Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 That would be the largest in league history and bring his career earnings within squinting distance of one billion. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026 The Internet armchair critics crying foul and other automakers squinting real hard can all stop wondering, questioning, and doubting whether the Ford Mustang GTD Competition achieved the unthinkable on street-legal tires. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squinting
  1. peering
  2. staring
  3. glancing
  4. blinking
  5. peeping
  6. gazing
Verb
  • The trailer begins with Pegg, who plays serial killer anesthetist Jason Nash, peering at a screen as a Channel 4 news story reports that the new identity of his former girlfriend and accomplice, a nurse named Alice Bell, has surfaced online.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Looking at his work is like peering through a series of conjoined windows that lead to different times, spaces and bodily states.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of peering
Verb
  • The Royals were out of the AL Central race by August and staring at another losing season.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Screens compound the problem because people blink less while staring at them.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of staring
Verb
  • Advertisement As a result, many older users who may have only had glancing interactions with AI have become avid users.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As Grace and Todd approach the president’s limo, a small spark can be seen glancing off of the front of the car.
    — Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of glancing
Verb
  • In schoolrooms and offices, there are worksheets and spreadsheets to be done; around the world, there are probably millions of Google Docs open in millions of browsers, cursors blinking.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • One sits on the nose bridge, next to the angular artery, and picks up pulse, blinking, and eyebrow movement.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of blinking
Verb
  • Among the highlights are Pisgah National Forest for traditional leaf-peeping activities, and artistic craft centers such as the Folk Art Center for shopping.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Here’s where to go for a final leaf-peeping hike in the foothills.
    — Abigail Bliss, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of peeping
Verb
  • Wasson detects a lingering resentment in the poor Sicilian kid gazing up at the idle rich.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Those who fall short have to be satisfied with simply gazing at the destination from the parking lot.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of gazing

Browse Nearby Words

squinted
squinting
squints
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Cite this Entry

“Squinting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squinting. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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