twinkle

verb

twin·kle | \ ˈtwiŋ-kəl

twinkled; twinkling\ ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ

Definition of twinkle

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to shine with a flickering or sparkling light : scintillate

2a : to appear bright especially with merriment his eyes twinkled

b : to flutter the eyelids

3 : to flutter or flit rapidly

transitive verb

1 : to cause to shine with fluctuating light

2 : to flicker or flirt rapidly twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes— Glenway Wescott

twinkle

noun

Definition of twinkle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an intermittent radiance : flicker, sparkle

2 : a rapid flashing motion : flit

3 : a wink of the eyelids

4 : the instant's duration of a wink : twinkling

Other Words from twinkle Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about twinkle

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from twinkle

Verb

twinkler \ ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lər

\ noun

Noun

twinkly \ ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lē

\ adjective

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 Web: Verb

Everyone is familiar with the standard holiday home decorations, from twinkling lights to menorahs and Christmas trees. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "How to decorate your RV for the holidays," 6 Dec. 2018 At the splendid age of 100, Sevigny remains a wry, twinkling repository of anecdote and memory, an ageless witness to a golden era of design and hospitality. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, "An Exhibition in Tangier Pays Tribute to Design World Darling Charles Sevigny," 3 Aug. 2018 Make your style twinkle: mist a cloud of shimmer spray above your head and walk through it. — Seventeen, "Instantly Update Your Look With Boho Twists," 18 Apr. 2012 Traveling during the summer to conduct field work, Shimomura studied bioluminescent fireworms in Bermuda, cave worms and limpets in New Zealand, and a plethora of glowing bacteria, twinkling fireflies and neon-colored squid and krill. — Harrison Smith, The Seattle Times, "Osamu Shimomura, atomic blast survivor and Nobel-winning chemist, dies at 90," 23 Oct. 2018 Inside, among the twinkling holiday decorations and bustling shoppers, an intimate crowd gathered at Blue Ribbon Sushi to toast Tamara Mellon and her namesake luxury line. — Vogue, "Kris Jenner, Zoe Saldana, Storm Reid, and More Toast Tamara Mellon," 14 Dec. 2018 Other inspiring evening hair cues came from Carrozzini’s twinkling vintage slide capturing her loose bun, and Emma Weymouth’s fresh white roses to match her Dolce & Gabbana. — Vogue, "Claire Foy, Idris Elba, Anna Wintour, Sophie Okonedo, Ralph Fiennes, and the Cast of Hamilton Fete the 64th Evening Standard Theatre Awards," 19 Nov. 2018 Just imagine it for a moment: the sound of the crackling fire, the sight of snow flurries waltzing behind the window, the taste of warm eggnog, and the coziness of your family sitting beside your twinkling leg lamp. — Diana Bruk, Country Living, "You Can Now Stay Overnight in the 'Christmas Story' House," 14 Aug. 2018 The Museum of Modern Art hosted the premiere, with lights twinkling in the courtyard as guests were ushered into the screening. — Kate Klausner, Vogue, "Hugh Jackman Trades Wolverine for Politics at Last Night’s Premiere of The Front Runner," 31 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

This was before social media was even a twinkle in someone’s eye. — Vogue, "Laura Morgan, the Artist and Cult Model, Is Back on Fashion’s Radar," 27 Dec. 2018 Our region needed these fundamentals long before HQ2 was a twinkle in anyone’s eye, and would need them whether or not Amazon existed. — Alex Baca, Vox, "I work in urban planning. Now Amazon’s coming to my city.," 20 Nov. 2018 The girls — lacking any self-awareness — spouted off hilarious, meme-worthy quotes during a time when social media was just a twinkle in the internet’s eye. — Marie Lodi, The Cut, "I Think About This a Lot: Ally Hilfiger’s Burrito Breakdown on Rich Girls," 18 June 2018 Highlight the twinkle in your eye with Natasha Denona Super Glow Highlighter, a dynamic luminizer that delivers an effortless, pearlized shimmer. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "What August's Scorpio Horoscope Means for You," 30 July 2018 Untangling the tumbleweed of twinkle lights was like tiptoeing back in time. — Al Kemp, The Seattle Times, "How I came to grips with a downsized Christmas," 12 Dec. 2018 Rihanna has been hosting the (almost) annual Diamond Ball, an event that benefits the Clara Lionel Foundation, since 2014 — long before Fenty Beauty was even a twinkle in the icon's eye. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Rihanna Wore Fenty Beauty's New Diamond Bomb to the Diamond Ball, Of Course," 14 Sep. 2018 The warm twinkle of fairy lights around town, the vacation days, and, of course, the extra family time make some people feel all of the joy. — Mattie Quinn, SELF, "10 Tips for Dealing With Family Estrangement During the Holidays," 21 Nov. 2018 String the twinkle lights through the holes and hide the extra wires in the box before replacing the back of the letter to close it up. — Sarah Newell, Seventeen, "10 DIY Dorm Decor Hacks That Even Lazy Girls Can Do," 19 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twinkle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.