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Definition of flashnext
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as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising the new goalie for our hockey team was apparently quite a flash in his hometown

Synonyms & Similar Words

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flash

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verb

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as in to twinkle
to shine with light at regular intervals the disco lights flashed, and the revelers danced

Synonyms & Similar Words

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flash

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb flash contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of flash are gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glitter, shimmer, and sparkle. While all these words mean "to send forth light," flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

lightning flashed

When is it sensible to use gleam instead of flash?

Although the words gleam and flash have much in common, gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

lights gleamed in the valley

When could glimmer be used to replace flash?

The words glimmer and flash are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

a distant glimmering light

Where would glint be a reasonable alternative to flash?

While in some cases nearly identical to flash, glint implies a cold glancing light.

glinting steel

When would glisten be a good substitute for flash?

While the synonyms glisten and flash are close in meaning, glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

glistening wet sidewalk

In what contexts can glitter take the place of flash?

The synonyms glitter and flash are sometimes interchangeable, but glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

glittering diamonds

When can shimmer be used instead of flash?

The words shimmer and flash can be used in similar contexts, but shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

a shimmering satin dress

When might sparkle be a better fit than flash?

The meanings of sparkle and flash largely overlap; however, sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

the sparkling waters

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flash
Noun
Against the home’s cleaner architectural lines, Burle Marx’s individual plantings read as painterly gestures, flashes of form and texture that give the grounds their modernist rhythm. Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Cameras flash, capturing VIP guests emerging from luxury cars. Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Verb
These vents offered a route for underground water that reached boiling temperature and flashed into steam, causing the explosion that rose tens of feet into the air. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 June 2026 Check for damaged roof flashing. Helen Andriatsitohaina, The Spruce, 24 June 2026
Adjective
Micron, along with flash-storage companies Western Digital and Seagate Technology, were some of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 last year. The Week Us, TheWeek, 3 Mar. 2026 Tom Lee of Fundstrat has been frequently citing the invention of flash-frozen food in the early 1900s as fundamentally disrupting the farming sector, which took farming as a share of jobs from 30% to 40% down to just 2% to 5%, but the economy reallocated value elsewhere. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flash
Noun
  • Minasian’s flurry of moves before and after the 2023 trade deadline seemed chaotic.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026
  • Off a fantastic pass from Kylian Mbappé from the opposite side of the pitch, Ousmane Dembélé unleashed a quick flurry of dribble moves into the right side of the box before burying a goal.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • San Francisco real estate agent Butch Haze of Compass has seen tech booms followed by ravenous bursts of homebuying since the first internet gold rush of the late 1990s.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • True to its name, Swift is designed to pivot quickly to capture late-breaking astronomical events such as gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.
    Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
    Kate Williams, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • That assessment comes from Nielsen’s TV and streaming measurement system, which calculates how many people have watched for at least one minute.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Syd was always going places, but Richie and Tina — and, of course, the fabulous Fak brothers, Neil (Matty Matheson) and Ted (Ricky Staffieri) — were the miracles of the piece.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • But, as a figure of the Enlightenment and thus a believer in reason and science, the former president discounted the miracles associated with Jesus — including his virgin birth and supposed resurrection.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Earlier this month, another Tennessee highway became the stage for an accidental spectacle when a brake fire on a trailer hauling fireworks ignited its cargo, causing bursts of colorful explosions on Interstate 75 near Chattanooga.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • Before his first full professional season, which began in the minors, a Caglianone batting practice session in spring training could turn into a spectacle.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • With sunbeams gleaming downward, reflecting off of the spacecraft's hull, the Dragon can be seen backing away from the station mere moments after undocking from the port on the station's Harmony module.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 23 June 2026
  • Shortly before the World Cup trophy is placed into the hands of one team’s triumphant captain at MetLife Stadium on July 19, a gleaming Golden Boot award will be presented to the tournament’s top scorer.
    Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The purpose of the rule is to prevent players from displaying any political or social messaging, but freedom of religion falls under the first amendment, which was Hawley’s argument, and others, all along.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
  • When not displaying geyser-like activity, the pool was actively boiling.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • As the plane made its descent, he was struck by the sight of hundreds of swimming pools twinkling blue in the sunshine.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 20 June 2026
  • Made entirely of glass, Bloom can be enjoyed no matter the forecast, but there is something particularly special about sipping a glass of Champagne as the garden’s string lights twinkle overhead.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flash. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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