blink

/blɪŋk/

//blɪŋk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"blink" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“blink” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,655 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,655
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To close and reopen both eyes quickly.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

blink vs bunk
60% similar
blink vs blip
60% similar
blink vs brin
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for blink
PropertyValue
Headwordblink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/blɪŋk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#10,655
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “blink” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). blink lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for blink is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /blɪŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,655 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for blink, with forms such as "bblink", "bilnk", and "blikn". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "bunk", "blip", "brin", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”… The correct English form is blink, spelled B-L-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  2. 2
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  3. 3
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  4. 4
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  5. 5
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  6. 6
    To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
  7. 7
    To flash on and off at regular intervals.
  8. 8
    To flash on and off at regular intervals.
  9. 9
    To flash on and off at regular intervals.
  10. 10
    To perform the smallest action that could solicit a response.
  11. 11
    To have the slightest doubt, hesitation or remorse.
  12. 12
    To shut the eyes to (something); to evade, ignore.
  13. 13
    To turn slightly sour, or blinky, as beer, milk, etc.
  14. 14
    To teleport, mostly for short distances.

Etymology

From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”), German blinken (“to flash, blink”), Danish blinke (“to flash, twinkle, wink, blink”), Swedish blinka (“to flash, blink, twinkle, wink, blink”). Related to blank, blick, blike, bleak.

Synonyms

nictitate

This word in other languages

parpadear(Español)ciller(Français)blinzeln(Deutsch)piscar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bblink,bilnk,blikn,blinkk,blinnk,bllink,blnik,lbink

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of blink - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

bblink1bilnk2blikn2blinkk1blinnk1bllink1blnik2lbink2
Edit distance from "blink"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "blink"?
"blink" is spelled B-L-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /blɪŋk/.
What does "blink" mean?
As a verb, "blink" means: To close and reopen both eyes quickly.
What words are commonly confused with "blink"?
"blink" is commonly confused with "bunk", "blip", "brin". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "blink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "blink" is /blɪŋk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "blink"?
From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitt... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “blink”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-L-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /blɪŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “bunk” - see the side-by-side comparison. blink vs bunk
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list