flickering 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of flickeringnext
as in flaring

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Dissimilar Words

flickering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of flicker
as in darting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements a dragonfly flickering above the salt marsh

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 flickering
Adjective
But there’s more flickering contrast in Narayan van Maele’s lensing, which alternates dun realism with occasionally hyperreal lighting and composition, particularly when the pagan promise of fire is in the frame. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Mar. 2022
Verb
Approximately the size of a dining-room table, the canvas has fifteen people distributed along a set of stairs in front of a mosque, all of them flickering with very different kinds of life. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 Preclinical work and a feasibility study found that flickering light and sound at 40 Hz for an hour a day had potential to slow cognitive decline and volume loss in parts of the brain critical for memory. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026 Patients see flickering lights faster than a standard strobe and hear rapid clicking tones. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026 Vermeer’s pictures are often observed to harbor spiritual meanings as well as material ones, flickering back and forth between the two. — Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Our favourite was the coco margarita, best consumed while sitting outdoors beneath stars and watching the flickering lights of nearby Nusa Penida and Lombok on the horizon. — Arion McNicoll, TheWeek, 15 June 2026 In line with the science of his time, which said that lunar craters were volcanic, Verne ascribes his flickering light to an eruption. — Neil Oseman, Space.com, 14 June 2026 The lights would start flickering. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 12 June 2026 Marta Glod, who has lived in Palos Hills since 1999, said her power was out for 14 hours Wednesday night before flickering on Thursday morning, only to go out again Thursday afternoon. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flickering
  1. flaring
  2. darting
  3. aglow
  4. flitting
  5. smoldering
  6. fluttering
  7. glowing
  8. dancing
Adjective
  • Though the maximum rate is only about four per hour, the stream does provide slow-moving flaring fireballs, and a careful observer may be nicely rewarded for the time spent.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 July 2026
  • The Los Angeles Chargers addressed some of the more flaring holes in their roster in the 2026 NFL Draft, picking several offensive and defensive lineman in hopes of bolstering their strength in the trenches.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Definition of flaring
Verb
  • The site points out that dogs sticking their head or paws out the window could lead to them darting out or getting injured, and the brand says pets should be restricted to the backseat.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026
  • Photos shared by the city on social media show the presence of law enforcement among the crowd, including a moment of what appears to be people darting from a firework going off near 23rd Street.
    — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of darting
Adjective
  • The remnant’s northern part is aglow with gamma rays from accelerated protons, however—indicating the shock is interacting with a dense cloud of ionized hydrogen gas called the S249 H II region.
    — Damien Pine, Scientific American, 21 July 2026
  • In these novels, the main character has been so absurdly addled by a (late-revealed) trauma that everyday human interactions are wildly aglow with (at first) terror or (later) manic-pixie wonder.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of aglow
Verb
  • An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026
  • Within moments, someone pointed out a starling flitting across the hazy sky.
    — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of flitting
Adjective
  • Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of smoldering
Verb
  • Both are excellent as women emerging from a pupa of damage and tentatively fluttering their wings.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 26 June 2026
Definition of fluttering
Adjective
  • The trailer opens with a montage of a glowing Lily (Lively) walking through Boston.
    — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 4 July 2026
  • Its light is rather that of a glowing molten metal than that of a burning furnace.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of glowing
Verb
  • Of course, the classic sing-along method gets kids singing and dancing at home—plus repeating the lyrics on their own might help kids remember numbers, letters, and colors even better.
    — Parents, Parents, 23 July 2026
  • Robot maker Unitree, known for the dancing humanoid robots that have become a fixture of Chinese state television broadcasts, is also pursuing a Shanghai listing.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of dancing

Browse Nearby Words

flickered
flickering
flickeringly
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Cite this Entry

“Flickering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flickering. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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