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Meaning & use

squinted

verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈskwɪntɪd/
US/ˈskwɪntɪd/

“squinted” is a form of “squint”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. verbintransitive

    Partly closed your eyes so that you could see more clearly, or because of bright light.

    Grammar: No object; often followed by at, against or into: she squinted at the page.

    Patterns

    • squinted at something
    • squinted against the sun
    • squinted into something

    He squinted at the tiny print on the medicine bottle.

    The children squinted against the glare of the afternoon sun.

    I squinted into the dark hallway but could not see who was there.

  2. verbintransitive

    Tightened the muscles around your eyes as an expression of doubt, suspicion or concentration.

    Grammar: No object; usually describes a facial expression: he squinted suspiciously.

    Patterns

    • squinted suspiciously

    The shopkeeper squinted suspiciously at the old coin.

    She squinted at him, unsure whether he was joking.

Word forms

base formsquint
third person singularsquints
-ing formsquinting

Common combinations

squinted at the screen
Dad squinted at the screen and asked me to make the text bigger.
squinted against the sun
The hikers squinted against the sun as they reached the ridge.
squinted in the light
She squinted in the light when the curtains were opened.
squinted suspiciously
The inspector squinted suspiciously at the signature.
squinted to read
He squinted to read the departure board across the hall.

Synonyms and how they differ

peered
Peered means looking closely or with effort, often at something hard to see, while squinted names the specific narrowing of the eyes.
blinked
Blinked is a quick close and open of the eyes, whereas squinted keeps the eyes narrowed for a while.
glared
Glared suggests an angry stare, which squinted does not necessarily imply.

Opposites

stared wide-eyed

Word family

squint verb
to look with narrowed eyes
squint noun
a narrowed look; also a condition where the eyes do not point the same way
squinting adjective
looking with narrowed eyes
squinty adjective
having narrow or squinting eyes

Commonly confused: squinted or squirted?

squinted vs squirted

Squirted means shot out liquid in a thin stream, which is unrelated to using your eyes.

Practice

The sunlight was so bright that Mia ___ as she stepped outside.

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