as in darted
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
a dragonfly flickering above the salt marsh
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Recent Examples of flickered
In reality, whatever magic had briefly flickered tended to vanish just as quickly.
—
Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Streetlights flickered before large parts of the city were plunged into darkness, as a thick fog settled over the streets and temperatures plummeted to –5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit).
—Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
By early Sunday afternoon, power was restored to parts of the Richmond District, drawing cheers from residents when lights flickered back on.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The prospect of a white-knight music fan riding in to save the day seems to have flickered and faded.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
Tall taper candles flickered between arrangements of deep burgundy flowers, the blooms cascading in trails that spilled over the table’s edge and down to the floor.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Nov. 2025
Kavitha’s father’s eyes flickered from one to the other.
—Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Immediately, to the flight surgeon’s alarm, the signal from the astronaut to the ground flickered out.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Smoke lay in the air and the light flickered, pyrotechnic machines going off.
—Sara Schiff, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Streetlights flickered before large parts of the city were plunged into darkness, as a thick fog settled over the streets and temperatures plummeted to –5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit).
—Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
By early Sunday afternoon, power was restored to parts of the Richmond District, drawing cheers from residents when lights flickered back on.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The prospect of a white-knight music fan riding in to save the day seems to have flickered and faded.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
Tall taper candles flickered between arrangements of deep burgundy flowers, the blooms cascading in trails that spilled over the table’s edge and down to the floor.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Nov. 2025
Kavitha’s father’s eyes flickered from one to the other.
—Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Immediately, to the flight surgeon’s alarm, the signal from the astronaut to the ground flickered out.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025
Smoke lay in the air and the light flickered, pyrotechnic machines going off.
—Sara Schiff, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flickered
Verb
-
The Hoosiers went for it, and Mendoza darted through traffic for the first down with a quarterback draw before pinballing off tacklers and lunging past the goal line for the touchdown and a 24-14 lead.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The Broncos could hardly stop running back James Cook with a head of steam, as Cook darted up wide-open holes time and again in a 24-carry, 117-yard performance.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Valentino and his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti flitted among their homes — which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland — traveling with their pack of pugs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
-
On the 10-mile drive to the school, Gussick’s mind flitted to every possible scenario.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The clergy made a full lap around the field to make sure all the angles were covered, including the end where Loop's very makeable kick fluttered wide.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Almost 35 years later, the fight that started before that single envelope fluttered into his cell is not over.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The sixth-tier side doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark as a deflected effort fell into the path of Buckley-Ricketts, who adjusted his body and flicked past goalkeeper Walter Benitez.—
Ali Rampling,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The suspect poured gasoline on the girls as well as both officers, flicked a lighter and set the room ablaze.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One night, all 14 guests and 20 crew danced the Macarena under a tropical sky.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
-
For the next 40 minutes, Michelsen danced and sprinted around the court, with Marshall timing all his moves.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flickered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flickered. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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