as in flitting
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements
the birds flittered back and forth between the backyard feeder and the safety of the trees
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Recent Examples of flittering
For the past few weeks, swarms of the diminutive insects have been seen flittering en masse through parks and backyards across the Bay Area.
—
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
But there was also a significant contingent from DR Congo, resplendent in light blue, their flags flittering in the afternoon breeze.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Acknowledging that the debt-forgiveness fairy isn’t flittering in the wings on graduation day calls for careful assessment of college plans, dreams, and reality.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
But there was also a significant contingent from DR Congo, resplendent in light blue, their flags flittering in the afternoon breeze.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Acknowledging that the debt-forgiveness fairy isn’t flittering in the wings on graduation day calls for careful assessment of college plans, dreams, and reality.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flittering
Verb
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Early mornings at Mukwa are quiet, with mist rising off the river and birds flitting along the river bank.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Arnaldi turned into some version of Carlos Alcaraz, scrambling all over the court, making miracle saves and darting winners down the line.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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In between takes while filming Cocktail (1988), the actor saw costar Elisabeth Shue darting toward a helicopter's tail rotor — which, when in motion, is barely visible and thus instantly lethal.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Roswell visitors spent the weekend surrounded by fluttering wings, native plants, and hands-on learning as the Chattahoochee Nature Center kicked off its annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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Video showed the Israeli flag fluttering from atop the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle while black smoke billowed from the nearby town of Arnoun.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Verb
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In doing so dancing, much like writing, becomes an act of generational integration and re-membering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
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The video went viral of us just dancing and having fun with the song.—
Lucas Villa,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flittering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flittering. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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