1
as in glows
to give off sparks
while fireworks that sparkle may be entertaining to look at, they can be highly dangerous when used indoors
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2
as in gleams
to shoot forth bursts of light
the crystal sparkled in the sunlight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sparkles
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Isabelle Huppert sparkles in sequins at the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 23.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
San Diego theater veteran Andréa Agosto sparkles as the kind but determined Aziza.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
Her silver nail polish—reminiscent of the shade worn by Lou Reed (from one New York legend to another) in footage shown during Todd Haynes’s documentary The Velvet Underground—sparkles as Gaga pounds the keys of her piano throughout the film.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
On this campus tour, Kirkland showed off the three-year-old football stadium that sparkles, and the new baseball and softball diamonds nearby.
—Joe Davidson
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
The lobby’s long chandelier sparkles above low-rise velvet chairs, and Frank Stella and other large-scale artworks punctuate every corner.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
On the lighter end of the dark comedy spectrum, Ruthless People is an utter joy from beginning to end, a mid-80s classic that still sparkles today.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
As the crowd continues to cheer, the light from the Al Hirschfield Theatre stage door sparkles off of the phones stretched out to catch even a glimpse of the Houston hottie.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
As its name suggests, this pool is nestled in a canyon above UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium, where its blue water sparkles amid the green forest.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Isabelle Huppert sparkles in sequins at the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 23.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
San Diego theater veteran Andréa Agosto sparkles as the kind but determined Aziza.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
Her silver nail polish—reminiscent of the shade worn by Lou Reed (from one New York legend to another) in footage shown during Todd Haynes’s documentary The Velvet Underground—sparkles as Gaga pounds the keys of her piano throughout the film.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
On this campus tour, Kirkland showed off the three-year-old football stadium that sparkles, and the new baseball and softball diamonds nearby.
—Joe Davidson
may 7, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
The lobby’s long chandelier sparkles above low-rise velvet chairs, and Frank Stella and other large-scale artworks punctuate every corner.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
On the lighter end of the dark comedy spectrum, Ruthless People is an utter joy from beginning to end, a mid-80s classic that still sparkles today.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
As the crowd continues to cheer, the light from the Al Hirschfield Theatre stage door sparkles off of the phones stretched out to catch even a glimpse of the Houston hottie.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparkles
Verb
-
His writing glows with his obvious love of plants and animals, not least his faithful dog, Roger.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
-
Because of the black hole's immense gravitational forces, an AGN glows very brightly.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In the evening, the whole place twinkles from the lights of a hundred lanterns and flares, which also serve to keep away mosquitoes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But, there will be progress, if not twinkles of excitement.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The younger dude's use of Rick's musical idea and turning it into a worldwide hit sparks a thoughtful quest about fame and credit.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
The Rams’ blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett sparks fresh buzz about Aaron Donald unretiring, raising the possibility of two future Hall of Famers anchoring a defensive line at SoFi.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Danielle Brooks shimmers and shines in an off-the-shoulder gown at the 79th annual Tony Awards on June 7 in New York City.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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Each new hill brings a slightly different and powerful view of Martinez and its petroleum refinery infrastructure; farther in the horizon, like a mirage of an ivory city, shimmers a wind-turbine farm.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Generating a test, refactoring a fragile selector or maintaining a test suite are the kinds of tasks where AI coding shines.—
Ethan Pronev,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Interior defensive line shines, edge rushers still growing One of the major surprises of the spring was Will Smith Jr.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then Jaimoe pauses, flashes a quick, playful grin, and rolls his right pant leg up to his knee.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2026
-
Is Whalefall largely a dual narrative that flashes between the innards of a whale and the father-son relationship?—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Geena Davis glitters in a red gown at the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 23.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparkles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparkles. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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