tinsel

1 of 3

noun

tin·​sel ˈtin(t)-səl 

 also  ˈtin-zəl

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

tinsel

2 of 3

adjective

1

: made of or covered with tinsel

2

a

: cheaply gaudy : tawdry

b

: specious, superficial

tinsel promises

tinsel

3 of 3

verb

tinseled or tinselled; tinseling or tinselling 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

Synonyms

Noun

• glitter
• cotton candy

Examples of tinsel in a Sentence

Noun

I like to decorate the Christmas tree with tinsel.

He's not attracted to the tinsel and glitter of Hollywood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The steel-blue walls are draped with tinsel, adorned with red curtains. —Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 9 May 2025

Twisted Christmas combines tinsel, mistletoe, and all that jazz, with scare actors, special effects and animatronics. —Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Outfitted with neon signs, kitschy leg lamps, hanging tinsel, vibrant baubles, and more, Blitzen's Bar at the Omni is a true Christmas miracle. —Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024

In another image where wearing a tinsel Christmas outfit with a star (above). —EW.com, 1 Nov. 2023

Verb

Irvington's Salon Citrine is offering hair tinseling for $10 per strand. —Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Oct. 2024

Connor’s new prints, on the other hand, made by the industrial dye-sublimation process on aluminum, are but tinseled imitations of her own extraordinary originals. —Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tyneseyle cloth interwoven with metallic thread, probably from Anglo-French tencelé, past participle of tenceler, estenceler to sparkle — more at stencil

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tinsel

noun

tin·​sel

ˈtin(t)-səl

1

: a thread, strip, or sheet of metal, paper, or plastic used to produce a glittering effect

2

: something that seems attractive but is of little worth