twinkle

1 of 2

verb

twin·​kle ˈtwiŋ-kəl 

twinkled; twinkling ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to shine with a flickering or sparkling light : scintillate

stars twinkling

2

a

: 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

… in the dark coverts the … beetle twinkles its tiny lamp …

—Haldane MacFall

2

: to flicker or flirt rapidly

… twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes.

—Glenway Wescott

twinkler

ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lər 

noun

twinkle

2 of 2

noun

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

twinkly

ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms of twinkle

Verb

• flash
• flicker
• sparkle

Noun

• minute
• heartbeat
• second
• moment
• twinkling

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

So many things, dropped and lost and mislaid, twinkling all over the place like a museum/ junkyard. —Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025

These festive services offer travelers a chance to experience Europe's holiday traditions while evoking the romance of classic rail travel, complete with twinkling decorations, seasonal menus, and the kind of slow-travel nostalgia that everyone's seeking at the moment. —Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2025

Noun

The cobwebs are coming down, and the twinkle lights are going up! —Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025

Savalas, a veteran actor who’d shortly become a ’70s TV icon as the star of Kojak, is locked into the film’s spirit, playing Leandro as a menacing, lollipop-sucking weirdo who offers occasional flashes of a knowing twinkle in his eye. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English twinclian; akin to Middle High German zwinken to blink

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing twinkle

• a twinkle in one's eye
• in the twinkle/twinkling of an eye

Rhymes for twinkle

• crinkle
• sprinkle
• tinkle
• winkle
• wrinkle
• periwinkle

Kids Definition

twinkle

1 of 2 verb

twin·​kle ˈtwiŋ-kəl 

twinkled; twinkling -k(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to shine or cause to shine with a flickering or sparkling light

2

: to appear bright with amusement

his eyes twinkled

3

: to move or flutter rapidly

twinkler

-k(ə-)lər 

noun

twinkle

2 of 2 noun

1

: a very short time

2

: sparkle entry 2 sense 1, flicker

twinkly

-k(ə-)lē 

adjective