# wink at

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wink-at
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To turn a blind eye to (something); to corruptly ignore (some wrongdoing); to pretend not to have seen (something); to signal one's approval of (illicit activities) while maintaining the ability to plausibly deny knowing about it; to tolerate or tacitly encourage (inappropriate, immoral or illegal behavior).

## Examples

- The manager decided to wink at the employees taking extra long breaks.
- I usually wink at my roommate's messy habits to avoid a big argument.
- Teachers often wink at minor mistakes when students are still learning a new skill.
- The local authorities often wink at small building violations if the owners promise to fix them eventually.
- The security guards sometimes wink at fans who sneak into the front row when the stadium is not full.
- The coach winks at his star player's bad behavior because the team needs to win the championship.
- By choosing to wink at the questionable accounting practices of his subordinates, the director inadvertently allowed a culture of corruption to flourish within the firm.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.