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Glite Dictionary
to winkle out

to winkle out

9.1
To get someone or something out with effort
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈwɪŋkəl aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : sacar
  • He managed to winkle out the missing files from the cluttered archive.

Examples

  • Well, now if the Nazis are due to take delivery... of this bomb at 0800, that gives us... a luxurious 14 hours in which to seize the island, secure the warhead... and winkle out poor Professor Teller.

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

  • The detective worked tirelessly to winkle out the truth from the confused witness.

  • It took several hours to winkle out the toy that was stuck at the back of the sofa.

Synonyms

to take out
vsto winkle out
948 1.9

To remove something from a place or container

stresses extraction done with notable effort or awkwardness
to pull out
vsto winkle out
523 2.7

To take something out of a place, often with effort

focuses on extracting with particular difficulty rather than any removal
to eject
vsto winkle out
32 4.2

Force someone to leave a place

is about difficult extraction but not always by outright force
to tear out
vsto winkle out
24 4.8

To pull something out with force

implies difficult removal but with less emphasis on violent force
to extricate
vsto winkle out
22 7.6

Free a person or thing from something that traps them

focuses on physical or situational extraction done with effort
to pull off
vsto winkle out
20 4.4

To make a person or group stop taking part in something

emphasizes extracting with effort from a place rather than voluntary withdrawal
to clean out
vsto winkle out
  • Informal
10 3.6

Remove people completely from a place or group because they are unwanted

means careful extraction with difficulty rather than full clearing
to draw away
vsto winkle out
7 3.7

To pull something away from where it is, for example a bandage or curtain

highlights extraction that is effortful rather than just moving away
to force out
vsto winkle out
6 4.2

To push something out with effort or pressure

involves removal with effort but may be less about applied pressure
to squeeze out
vsto winkle out
4 4.2

To make someone leave a place or job by pressure

involves effortful extraction but not necessarily by induced pressure
to disentangle
vsto winkle out
3 5.8

To free a person or thing from a difficult situation

is more about physically extracting with effort than freeing complexity
to winkle
vsto winkle out
1 9.6

To make something come out with effort, for example a hidden object or a secret

is identical in meaning but appears as the two-word phrasal form
to rout out
vsto winkle out
1 7.1

To force someone or something out of a place by searching

focuses on removal after effort rather than authoritative expulsion
to chuck out
vsto winkle out
  • UK
1 5.0

To force someone to leave a place usually because they cause trouble

refers to extracting with difficulty rather than rude or casual ejection

Antonyms

to add
∞ 1.0

Include something extra to make something larger or better

to insert
208 3.5

To put something inside something else

How Difficult

to root out
21 3.9
to winkle out
  • Informal
9.1
to extract
166 3.9
to pry
76 4.4
to pull out
523 2.7

Surface Forms

winkle out infinitive
winkled out past
winkled out past participle
winkling out present participle
winkles out third person singular

Morphology

winkle + out

The meaning 'to remove or extract with effort' is directly built from 'winkle' (to pry or remove) plus the particle 'out' (away/from the interior), following a common verb+particle composition in English. Even if 'winkle' is somewhat rare, the compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Winkle out may come from the small sea snail called a winkle. People would pick a winkle out of its shell or from rocks with a thin tool, so the image is of carefully pulling something free. That's why it means 'to remove or get something out with effort', including getting hidden facts.