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

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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

The most memorable dishes, like the lobster boil and the picnic basket of fried chicken and sides, were served family style beneath twinkling lights at picnic tables. — Howie Kahn, WSJ, "Eleven Madison Park Heads West," 5 Nov. 2018 This is a book to reassure us that whatever might be going on in the news, the seasons still come and go, whales swim silently through the seas and the stars still twinkle in their familiar constellations. — Claire Cock-starkey, WSJ, "What to Give: Reference Books," 15 Nov. 2018 Starting with cocktails and Champagne, guests enjoyed a signature menu from renowned cook Sylvestre Wahid; on the tables, candles twinkled and illuminated the flower arrangements. — Thomas Delage, Vogue, "Beauties in Brock Collection Gathered for a Meal to Celebrate the Brand's New Capsule Collection," 4 Mar. 2019 The artist portrayed it as having stars on its cheeks, twinkles in its eyes, and its tongue sticking out. — Emily Wang, Teen Vogue, "Pete Davidson Got a Tattoo in Honor of His Pet Pig," 17 Sep. 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Golding has the posh British accent of Prince William, a Cary Grant-ian twinkle in his eye, and a dreaminess that is entirely his own. — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "So, You've Fallen in Love with Crazy Rich Asians Star Henry Golding," 21 Aug. 2018 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

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.