sparkle

1 of 2

verb

spar·​kle ˈspär-kəl How to pronounce sparkle (audio)
sparkled; sparkling ˈspär-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sparkle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to throw out sparks
b
: to give off or reflect bright moving points of light
c
: to perform brilliantly
2
: effervesce
wine that sparkles
3
: to become lively or animated
the dialogue sparkles with wit
eyes sparkling with anger

transitive verb

: to cause to glitter or shine

sparkle

2 of 2

noun

1
: a little spark : scintillation
2
: the quality of sparkling
3
b
: the quality or state of being effervescent
Choose the Right Synonym for sparkle

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light.

flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

lightning flashed

gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

lights gleamed in the valley

glint implies a cold glancing light.

glinting steel

sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

the sparkling waters

glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

glittering diamonds

glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

glistening wet sidewalk

glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

a distant glimmering light

shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

a shimmering satin dress

Examples of sparkle in a Sentence

Verb The dancers sparkled on stage. Her eyes sparkled with pride. Noun The sun reflected off the water in bright sparkles of light. He caught the sparkle of her diamond out of the corner of his eye. a performance full of sparkle and originality the sparkle in her eyes
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Additionally, Moore sparkled at the Los Angeles premiere of Paramount+’s Landman on Nov. 12. Chiara Kim, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024 Trust us, the women, moms, and girlfriends in your life will be thrilled to add these sparkling pieces to their jewelry boxes! Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
Stripped of its shimmer and sparkle, Pamela Anderson's personal canvas still emanates radiance and light. Caroline Thayer, Fox News, 3 Dec. 2024 Amelia's black column gown featured a deep v-neck and some sparkle on the thin straps, while Eliza's featured more of a sleeve with a sculptural detail on the bodice. Hedy Phillips, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sparkle 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, frequentative of sparken to spark

Noun

Middle English, diminutive of sparke

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sparkle was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sparkle

Cite this Entry

“Sparkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparkle. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

sparkle

1 of 2 verb
spar·​kle ˈspär-kəl How to pronounce sparkle (audio)
sparkled; sparkling -k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sparkle (audio)
1
a
: to throw out sparks
b
: to give off small flashes of light
the diamond sparkled
2
: to do or play very well
sparkled at shortstop
3
: effervesce sense 1
sparkling wine
4
: to become lively or active
the conversation sparkled

sparkle

2 of 2 noun
1
: a little flash of light
2
: the quality of sparkling
3
: the quality or state of being effervescent

More from Merriam-Webster on sparkle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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