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
Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 27 Oct. 2025
On the Riviera, nothing sparkles quite like a Hitchcock blonde.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Jane Krakowski sparkles at a press day for Oh, Mary!
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
But even outside festival season, the city sparkles.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The novel sparkles with Sosa’s signature wit and sense of humor; the banter between Javi and Mari is deliciously funny, bursting with laugh-out-loud moments on seemingly every other page.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The place sparkles, even at two-thirds completed, with reconstruction of the east side slated as the next phase.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
Head to Grote Markt, where the Renaissance Town Hall sparkles with lights and the historic homes that fringe the square are illuminated after dark.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 27 Oct. 2025
On the Riviera, nothing sparkles quite like a Hitchcock blonde.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Jane Krakowski sparkles at a press day for Oh, Mary!
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
But even outside festival season, the city sparkles.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The novel sparkles with Sosa’s signature wit and sense of humor; the banter between Javi and Mari is deliciously funny, bursting with laugh-out-loud moments on seemingly every other page.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The place sparkles, even at two-thirds completed, with reconstruction of the east side slated as the next phase.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparkles
Verb
-
The bar—made of white onyx—glows softly from within, inviting you to pull up a stool.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Robb Report,
23 Oct. 2025
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In New York City, Emma Stone glows in green, and Maya Rudolph appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Airstream gleams absurdly against the ocherous land below.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Patches of unintelligibility are nothing new in Pynchon, but usually a coherent world view gleams upward from the murk.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Content creators now use it for just about anything and its appearance often sparks raucous reactions, like in September when a crowd erupted in cheers after an In-N-Out employee called out order number 67.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
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That small question sparks an incredible journey filled with mystery, time travel, battles, and ancient beings known as Watchers.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The lasers converge and somehow create what looks like a circular portal to another planet which shimmers and spins.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
This technique often is used with fencing to create a visual barrier and to startle geese when the tape shimmers in the breeze.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Perch yourself in the Hollywood Hills and watch as the city twinkles below at night.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, Route 100 shines particularly brightest (both literally and figuratively) in the fall, when the trees lining the road light up with brilliant fall colors.—
Megan Margulies,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this month, Cooper opened up to PEOPLE about how Deliver Me from Nowhere shines a light on the musician's struggles with mental health.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Watts then looks toward the Kardashians camera and flashes a befuddled look.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
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The movie begins with a 10-year-old Michael already showing the brutality for which The Shape was known, then flashes forward 15 years to an adult Michael (Tyler Mane) pursuing his younger sister, Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton).—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Next to a rocky limestone cliff, a small lake covered with lilies and algae glistens beside a crumbling 19th-century building that resembles an Ottoman bathhouse.—
Jennifer Walker,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sparkles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparkles. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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