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 of tinsel

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

A lot of ornaments and tinsel on the Christmas tree. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026

Hair tinsel is also offered, and everyone leaves with a swag bag. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026

Adjective

Like Banks did the previous year, Lima (the brand's longest running angel) closed the show, dazzling the audience with her black lace lingerie and metallic tinsel angel wings. — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Teyana Taylor, ever the purposeful center of attention, donned a silver foil fringe look by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford, but overdid it with a matching wig, converting her into a tinsel tree. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 May 2026

Verb

Bedecking the old fish-out-of-water story formula in holiday garb and tinseling it with some apt moral messages for this dysfunctional age, screenwriters Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick have concocted a satisfyingly new-fangled Christmas yarn. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025

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

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