twinkled; twinkling
ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to shine with a flickering or sparkling light : scintillate
2
a
: to appear bright especially with merriment
his eyes twinkled
b
: to flutter the eyelids
3
: to flutter or flit rapidly
1
: to cause to shine with fluctuating light
2
: to flicker or flirt rapidly
twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes—
Glenway Wescott
Glenway Wescott2
: a rapid flashing motion : flit
3
: a wink of the eyelids
4
: the instant's duration of a wink : twinkling
Synonyms
Examples of twinkle in a Sentence
Verb
The lights of the city twinkled in the distance.
Stars twinkle in the night sky.
Her eyes twinkled with excitement.
Noun
We saw the twinkle of a candle in the window.
in just a twinkle, the shooting star was gone
Recent Examples on the WebLouisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2024
Nine days after Donald Trump won the 2016 election, the halls of the Mayflower Hotel, just blocks from the White House, were adorned with twinkling Christmas lights and abuzz with the possibilities of a future that had changed overnight.
—Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 28 May 2024
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2024
Extremely versatile and easy to wrap around just about anything, these waterproof lights feature eight lighting modes, including fireflies, flashing, fading, chasing, flashing, fading slowly, twinkle, and steady-on.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for twinkle 
Verb
Volo Restaurant Wine Bar in Roscoe Village Impress your date with an intimate night out dining on flatbreads and charcuterie boards in cozy outdoor cabanas at Volo Restaurant Wine Bar, all underneath twinkling lights once the sun sets.
—Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2024
Nine days after Donald Trump won the 2016 election, the halls of the Mayflower Hotel, just blocks from the White House, were adorned with twinkling Christmas lights and abuzz with the possibilities of a future that had changed overnight.
—Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 28 May 2024
Noun
The person Emma emerged from her accident as — the kind of 11-year-old who confidently presented a PowerPoint at a 2,500-person No Limits convention in Washington and who’s now a teenager writing letters to kids in similar prosthetic shoes — is someone who can find a twinkle in the shadows.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2024
Extremely versatile and easy to wrap around just about anything, these waterproof lights feature eight lighting modes, including fireflies, flashing, fading, chasing, flashing, fading slowly, twinkle, and steady-on.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for twinkle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twinkle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near twinkle
Cite this Entry
“Twinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twinkle. Accessed 7 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
twinkle
2 of 2 noun1
: a very short time
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