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
Delicate little needles in the windows that flickered up and then sifted back down.
—
Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The dots flickered and subsided, only to reappear again in greater numbers and with growing intensity.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
On Friday in Sacramento, the magic that carried Valley Christian from a 9-15 regular season to the brink of a state title flickered one last time before finally running out.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
Its tongue flickered, sensing the currents of pandemonium, and then the forked tip touched my cheek.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
Candlelight flickered against vibrant tanzanite, sky blue topaz and canary yellow diamonds on Tuesday night at Sunset Tower Hotel, where Pomellato gathered brand ambassadors and celebrity stylists to mark the reopening of its Beverly Hills flagship, unveiled in October.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Officers captured the scene using a drone, which showed the man balancing on the unicycle as flames flickered just feet from passing vehicles.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
In the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, electricity in Yerevan flickered for as little as an hour a day.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
The lights went low and flickered, while the lights and the heat in a media center nearby went out, according to the Associated Press.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The dots flickered and subsided, only to reappear again in greater numbers and with growing intensity.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
On Friday in Sacramento, the magic that carried Valley Christian from a 9-15 regular season to the brink of a state title flickered one last time before finally running out.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
Its tongue flickered, sensing the currents of pandemonium, and then the forked tip touched my cheek.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
Candlelight flickered against vibrant tanzanite, sky blue topaz and canary yellow diamonds on Tuesday night at Sunset Tower Hotel, where Pomellato gathered brand ambassadors and celebrity stylists to mark the reopening of its Beverly Hills flagship, unveiled in October.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026
Officers captured the scene using a drone, which showed the man balancing on the unicycle as flames flickered just feet from passing vehicles.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
In the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, electricity in Yerevan flickered for as little as an hour a day.
—Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
The lights went low and flickered, while the lights and the heat in a media center nearby went out, according to the Associated Press.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flickered
Verb
-
After their 24th loss in 34 home games, the Kings darted off to Salt Lake City for a date with the Utah Mammoth on Sunday.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Enright, on the right side, darted toward net along the goal line and ricocheted a shot off the post into the net to cap the scoring.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Villaraigosa flitted around the racers’ VIP tent, spotted a bowl of fortune cookies and made a beeline.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
About 10 flies flitted about in a storage area next to a kitchen prep table.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Patrick Kane took a shot from the point that fluttered through traffic and bounced off Compher, who was parked at the goalpost.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
And there, for the fifth time, was Azzi Fudd as the colorful scraps of paper, shot from big cannons, fluttered down all around her.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Goodwin, in the 77th minute, flicked in a header off a cross by David Schnegg for his first goal in MLS and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Goodwin, in the 77th minute, flicked in a header off a cross by David Schnegg for his first goal in MLS and capped the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fireflies danced around us in the night, and chunky redheaded agama lizards scuttled along the walls.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Doncic collected the ball and danced with Detroit forward Jalen Duren, pump faking, spinning and stepping back before launching a sky-high three.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flickered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flickered. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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