Blink
verb/nounBase blink · Past blinked · Past Participle blinked · Present Participle blinking · 3rd person blinks
Definition
1. (verb) To open and close your eyes very quickly, usually without thinking about it.
2. (verb) To open and close your eyes quickly because of surprise, confusion, or bright light.
3. (noun) The quick movement of opening and closing your eyes once, often used in phrases like "in the blink of an eye."
2. (verb) To open and close your eyes quickly because of surprise, confusion, or bright light.
3. (noun) The quick movement of opening and closing your eyes once, often used in phrases like "in the blink of an eye."
Context Alive
You're at the eye doctor and she's shining a bright light into your eyes to check them. She tells you to try not to blink, but the light is so strong that you can't help it. Your eyes keep closing on their own. She laughs and says everyone does the same thing. She tries one more time, you manage to hold your eyes open for a few seconds, and she gets what she needs.
Meanings
3 meanings 1 To Open and Close Your Eyes Quickly (Verb) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about the basic, natural movement of your eyelids opening and closing very fast. Imagine you're staring at your computer screen for hours without a break — your eyes start feeling dry because you're not blinking enough. This is describing something your body does automatically, usually without you even noticing. You might say "I blink about fifteen times a minute" when talking about how often it happens naturally, or someone could say "try not to blink" during an eye exam when the doctor needs your eyes to stay open. Or picture a staring contest between two friends — whoever blinks first loses. The word describes one of the simplest and most automatic things your body does.
✏️ Blink is one of those words that's simple but appears everywhere. People use it literally about eyes, but also in many common phrases. The noun form is just as useful: "a blink" means one quick open-close movement of the eyes.
2 To Blink From Surprise or Bright Light (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about blinking as a reaction — to something bright, shocking, or confusing. Imagine walking out of a dark cinema into bright afternoon sunlight — you blink several times because your eyes can't adjust quickly enough. This is describing blinking that happens because of something external, not just the normal automatic movement. You might say "she blinked in surprise when she saw the price" about someone shocked by how expensive something was, or someone could say "he blinked at the bright light" when a torch was suddenly pointed at his face. Or picture someone being told they've won the lottery — they just stand there blinking, trying to process what they've just heard. The word suggests a moment of reaction before the brain catches up.
✏️ When writers describe a character blinking in surprise or confusion, it's a way of showing that someone is processing something unexpected. "She blinked" in a story usually means "she was caught off guard." It's a small action that says a lot.
3 A Quick Eye Movement / "In the Blink of an Eye" (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about using blink as a noun — especially in the phrase in the blink of an eye, which means something happens extremely fast. Imagine a pickpocket in a crowded market who steals someone's wallet so quickly that nobody sees it — it happened in the blink of an eye. This is describing speed so fast it's almost invisible. You might say "the car disappeared in the blink of an eye" about something that vanished instantly, or someone could say "it all changed in the blink of an eye" about a situation that flipped from good to bad in seconds. Or picture a magician doing a card trick — the card switches in the blink of an eye and nobody can figure out how. The phrase suggests something is over before you even have time to react.
✏️ In the blink of an eye is one of the most common English phrases — you'll hear it everywhere from news reports to everyday conversation. Another useful phrase is "without blinking" which means without hesitating: "He spent £5,000 without blinking."
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
blink (intransitive) → to open and close your eyes quickly
She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes.
blink at + sth/sb → to blink while looking at something, usually from surprise or light
He blinked at the bright screen in the dark room.
in the blink of an eye → extremely quickly, almost instantly
The whole thing was over in the blink of an eye.
Common Structures
try not to blink → to make an effort to keep your eyes open
The doctor said try not to blink while she checked my eyes.
without blinking → without hesitating or showing any reaction
She paid £200 for a pair of shoes without blinking.
blink in surprise/confusion → to blink as a reaction to something unexpected
He blinked in surprise when he saw his name on the list.
Collocations
10 collocationsin the blink of an eye
extremely fast, almost instantly
without blinking
without hesitating or reacting
blink in surprise
to blink because something unexpected happened
blink back tears
to try to stop yourself from crying by blinking quickly
barely blink
to show almost no reaction to something
try not to blink
to make an effort to keep your eyes open
blink rapidly
to blink many times very quickly
not even blink
to show zero reaction, even when you'd expect one
blink at the light
to blink because of a bright light
blink and you'll miss it
something happens so fast that you need to pay close attention
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
It all happened in the blink of an eye — one second the vase was on the shelf, the next it was on the floor.
It happened so fast — the vase went from the shelf to the floor in less than a second.
2
She blinked in surprise when they told her she'd got the job.
She was so shocked to hear she'd been hired that all she could do was stare.
3
He spent three thousand pounds on a watch without blinking.
He didn't hesitate at all when paying three thousand pounds for a watch.
4
The doctor told me to try not to blink while she put the drops in.
The doctor asked me to keep my eyes open while she applied the eye drops.
5
She blinked back tears as she read the letter from her grandmother.
She fought hard not to cry while reading what her grandmother had written.
6
I stepped outside and blinked at the bright morning sun after being in the dark cinema.
Coming out of the dark cinema, the morning sunlight made my eyes struggle to adjust.
7
The children grew up in the blink of an eye — it feels like yesterday they were babies.
The children seemed to grow up almost overnight — it's hard to believe they were once so small.
8
He didn't even blink when they told him the price — he just handed over his card.
The price didn't bother him at all — he simply gave them his card without any hesitation.
9
Blink and you'll miss it — the turn for the restaurant is really easy to drive past.
The restaurant turning is so easy to miss that you have to pay very close attention.
10
She was blinking rapidly, trying to get the dust out of her eye.
She kept opening and closing her eyes quickly, attempting to clear the piece of dust.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
3 items
Idioms & Expressionsin the blink of an eye — something happens so quickly that you almost can't see it or react to it
The thief grabbed the bag and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
blink and you'll miss it — something is so fast or small that you need to pay close attention to notice it
The village is tiny — blink and you'll miss it when you drive through.
not blink an eye — to show no surprise or hesitation at all, even when the situation would normally shock someone
She didn't blink an eye when he told her the trip would cost ten thousand pounds.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymswink
closing only ONE eye on purpose, usually as a signal — blink is both eyes and usually automatic
flutter
rapid, gentle blinking — often used for eyelashes in a flirty or dramatic way
squint
partly closing your eyes to see better or block light — different action but related to eye movement
Antonymsstare
to look at something for a long time without blinking — the direct opposite
gaze
a steady, prolonged look — softer than stare but still the opposite of quick blinking
glare
to stare angrily — eyes wide open and fixed, no blinking