What does blinked mean?
"Blinked" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "blink," which most commonly describes the rapid, involuntary closing and opening of the eyes — a reflex that protects and moistens them. It can also describe a light flashing on and off, as in a blinking indicator, and, figuratively, a person's momentary display of surprise or hesitation: someone who "didn't blink" remained calm and unshaken under pressure. The word appears constantly in everyday speech and writing, from describing reactions to bright light or tears ("she blinked back tears") to technical contexts such as computer cursors and warning signals. Its figurative uses give it expressive range beyond the physical reflex, making it a versatile word in both literal description and characterisation.
verbThe past tense and past participle of "blink": to shut and open the eyes quickly, or to flash on and off (as a light).
- To shut and open the eyes quickly, especially involuntarily or in reaction to light, tears, or surprise.
- (of a light) To flash on and off intermittently.
- To show hesitation, surprise, or reluctance to face something (often figuratively, e.g. 'he didn't even blink').
"She blinked in surprise when the lights suddenly went out."
"He blinked against the harsh sunlight as he stepped outside."
"The warning light on the dashboard blinked steadily until she pulled over."
You blink about fifteen to twenty times every minute — roughly ten percent of your waking life is spent in darkness without ever noticing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blinked
The verb "blink" dates to Middle English and is generally traced to Middle Dutch or Low German "blinken," related to words meaning to shine or glitter, which explains why it covers both the eye movement and the flashing of lights. Cognates survive in modern Dutch and German. The sense of a light flashing and the eye reflex developed alongside each other from an early core idea of intermittent shining or closing.
Related word forms
How blinked is actually used
Entirely standard in all registers; used literally of eyes and lights and figuratively for hesitation or shock. In figurative use, "never blinked" implies composure or nerve.
Easily confused with blinked
"Winked" means deliberately closing one eye as a signal or joke, while "blinked" refers to the involuntary quick closing of both eyes.