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Definition of tinsel
1 : threads, strips, or sheets of metal, paper, or plastic used to produce a glittering and sparkling appearance in fabrics, yarns, or decorations
2 : something superficially attractive or glamorous but of little real worth disfigured by no gaudy tinsel of rhetoric or declamation — Thomas Jefferson
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Examples of tinsel in a Sentence
I like to decorate the Christmas tree with tinsel.
He's not attracted to the tinsel and glitter of Hollywood.
Recent Examples of tinsel from the Web
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Tear off tiny stars from a strand of star tinsel and place a small dot of eyelash glue on the back.
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But the Yuletide insanity worked, especially during a scene where the moms steal a terrible tinsel tree from the mall.
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Every November, the Papahristou family transforms its Southington restaurant into a dazzling winter fantasy land, with grand, glittering seasonal displays of lights, garland, wreaths, tinsel and ornaments.
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Not Kylie Jenner, in floral-and-tinsel-strewn see-through Versace, or Halle Berry, also in Versace, with black and white feathers sprouting from the train.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tinsel'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of tinsel
Middle English tyneseyle cloth interwoven with metallic thread, probably from Anglo-French tencelé, past participle of tenceler, estenceler to sparkle — more at stencil
tinsel
Definition of tinsel
1 : made of or covered with tinsel
2a : cheaply gaudy : tawdryb : specious, superficial tinsel promises
First Known Use of tinsel
1575
tinsel
Definition of tinsel
tinseled
ortinselled
;tinseling
ortinselling
play \ˈtin(t)-s(ə-)liŋ also ˈtin-zə-liŋ\transitive verb
1 : to interweave, overlay, or adorn with or as if with tinsel
2 : to impart a specious brightness to
First Known Use of tinsel
1594
TINSEL Defined for English Language Learners
tinsel
playDefinition of tinsel for English Language Learners
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: thin strips of shiny metal or paper that are used as decoration
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: something that seems attractive or appealing but is of little worth
TINSEL Defined for Kids
tinsel
playDefinition of tinsel for Students
1 : a thread or strip of metal or plastic used for decoration
2 : something that seems attractive but is of little worth
Learn More about tinsel
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tinsel Spanish Central: Translation of tinsel Nglish: Translation of tinsel for Spanish speakers
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