1
as in movies
a story told by means of a series of continuously projected pictures and a sound track
as a child, the future director would spend hours sitting in the theater, totally entranced by the flickers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flurries
a sudden and usually temporary growth of activity
usually there's a flicker in car sales when the new models come out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hints
an almost imperceptible sign of something
there was a flicker of recognition in her eye when I mentioned his name, but she denied knowing him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in flits
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 flickers
Michael Walker, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Then the northern flickers, which consume ants, can visit your lawn and find something to eat.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
The four crewmembers reported seeing several impact flashes — flickers of light created when a meteoroid hits the lunar surface and vaporizes.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
The Bobcats showed flickers of promise, nearly defeating Troy and Georgia Southern in the regular season.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
That accounts equally for Lily’s arch froideur and Diana’s enduring lack of self-worth, played by both actors with care and compassion, and contrasting flickers of vulnerability and resolve, respectively.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The penalty kill has remained strong, and while the power play has shown flickers of improvement, Colorado has scored just one more goal than its allowed (3-2) while playing with the extra man in this stretch.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
My favorite albums reckoned deliberately with our existential moment, offering flickers of hope and grace under pressure.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
But in the final scene, when Sam goes to the bathroom to change the bandage on his forehead, the mirror flickers with static at his reflection.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Instead, the planet's illuminated footprint now flickers in response to economics, technology, policy decisions and global crises — a constantly shifting portrait of human activity visible from space.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Even from the start, flickers of restiveness appear.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
The two go to college together and then end up in the New York art world of the early ’90s, where their friendship flickers in and out despite the intensity of Ruth’s attachment.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
There, the experience flickers to life in the hotel’s moody, intimate Cafe La Vie on Tuesdays through Fridays.
—Dashae Engler, Midwest Living, 8 Apr. 2026
When the connection flickers back — sometimes for a mere 30 seconds — the conversations turn to life and death.
—Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
The Old Baths and Donkey Stand Remnants of Parkgate’s old resort life still flickers around the edges.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
With interest in on-loan Lutsharel Geetruida, there were flickers of worry on Wearside about the core of the team being undermined.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Then the northern flickers, which consume ants, can visit your lawn and find something to eat.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
The four crewmembers reported seeing several impact flashes — flickers of light created when a meteoroid hits the lunar surface and vaporizes.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
The Bobcats showed flickers of promise, nearly defeating Troy and Georgia Southern in the regular season.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
That accounts equally for Lily’s arch froideur and Diana’s enduring lack of self-worth, played by both actors with care and compassion, and contrasting flickers of vulnerability and resolve, respectively.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The penalty kill has remained strong, and while the power play has shown flickers of improvement, Colorado has scored just one more goal than its allowed (3-2) while playing with the extra man in this stretch.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
My favorite albums reckoned deliberately with our existential moment, offering flickers of hope and grace under pressure.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
On another monitor, a dashboard that resembles the menu screen of a flight simulator flickers to life — only this is no simulation.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
But in the final scene, when Sam goes to the bathroom to change the bandage on his forehead, the mirror flickers with static at his reflection.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Instead, the planet's illuminated footprint now flickers in response to economics, technology, policy decisions and global crises — a constantly shifting portrait of human activity visible from space.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Even from the start, flickers of restiveness appear.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
The two go to college together and then end up in the New York art world of the early ’90s, where their friendship flickers in and out despite the intensity of Ruth’s attachment.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
There, the experience flickers to life in the hotel’s moody, intimate Cafe La Vie on Tuesdays through Fridays.
—Dashae Engler, Midwest Living, 8 Apr. 2026
When the connection flickers back — sometimes for a mere 30 seconds — the conversations turn to life and death.
—Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
The Old Baths and Donkey Stand Remnants of Parkgate’s old resort life still flickers around the edges.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flickers
Noun
-
Well, just one petabyte is equal to roughly 250 million high resolution photos or the storage capacity of 250,000 smartphones or 13 years' worth of continuous high-definition movies.—
David Wade,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Two units can be paired together with a Google TV Streamer to deliver spatial audio surround sound when watching movies and TV.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
But Gaethje slammed that door with more flurries, battering Topuria in a way the former champion had never experienced before.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
-
The players rotated quickly, setting flurries of picks and cutting, creating space by driving to the basket, stretching the defense to the point of breaking, and then flinging the ball to the open man in the corner.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Looking for Friday’s Strands hints, spangram and answers?—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Talk of SpaceX, which billionaire Elon Musk founded in 2002 to find a way to Mars, going public had been rampant since late 2025, when the first hints arose of its possibility.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
As Photay, Shornstein—a master synthesist and producer—flits between atmospheric house, dubby breakbeat workouts, and chirping electro funk, building his songs’ arrangements into strange, angular shapes.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
-
Upstairs, a disco deep cut plays while Byrd flits about greeting everyone.—
Mike Albo,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Chinese audiences already enjoy many films with these elements.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Speaking of time, Keen formed Agenda following three decades of experience in the PR field working on campaigns for hundreds of high-profile films.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
For decades, observatories have recorded brief-but-bright flashes of radio waves—fast radio bursts, or FRBs—whose origin on the sky astronomers have managed to pinpoint in only a handful of cases.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
18 June 2026
-
This could be rescheduling a doctor's appointment, finding a contractor after a pipe bursts, or picking up your dry cleaning before a flight in the morning.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
This cool pearl blonde glimmers against a buttery backdrop for a sparkling champagne effect.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
Still, there are some glimmers of hope.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel (center) flutters a Venezuelan and Cuban national flags in support of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Havana.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flickers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flickers. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
