as in minute
a very small space of time
in a twinkling, the rabbit had disappeared
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in gleaming
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in flashing
to shine with light at regular intervals
holiday decorations twinkled in the shop windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in glinting
to shoot forth bursts of light
stars twinkling on a crisp September night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of twinkling
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
For our ancestors, that twinkling ball would have been completely dark.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Turn your porch into a calming oasis with twinkling fairy lights, or upgrade your front yard with in-ground pathway lighting or solar sconces.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Traditional daytime water activities abound at this lake, but also plan to head out at night to see the Clarksville Bridge illuminated with twinkling lights that reflect beautifully on the water’s surface.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
For a long time, the property gleamed in the daylight with its white, ornate facade against lush green landscaping and often at night, as well, with twinkling holiday lights attached to almost every surface.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Plan Your Shots For the best chance to capture the Milky Way and make the most of those twinkling stars, schedule your photo sessions around the new moon.
—Jay Clue, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As the crowd filed in, DJs Doppelganger Paris—identical twins Brice and Régis Abby—were already on the decks, accompanied by Grammy-winning pianist Brian Kennedy, the city lights twinkling behind them.
—Rachel Marlowe, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Jumeirah is the closest beach to Downtown, and the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa still loom large, best viewed from the rooftop Mercury Lounge, with its Arabian archways framing the twinkling city.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Apr. 2026
For our ancestors, that twinkling ball would have been completely dark.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Turn your porch into a calming oasis with twinkling fairy lights, or upgrade your front yard with in-ground pathway lighting or solar sconces.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Traditional daytime water activities abound at this lake, but also plan to head out at night to see the Clarksville Bridge illuminated with twinkling lights that reflect beautifully on the water’s surface.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
For a long time, the property gleamed in the daylight with its white, ornate facade against lush green landscaping and often at night, as well, with twinkling holiday lights attached to almost every surface.
—Heather McRea, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Plan Your Shots For the best chance to capture the Milky Way and make the most of those twinkling stars, schedule your photo sessions around the new moon.
—Jay Clue, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As the crowd filed in, DJs Doppelganger Paris—identical twins Brice and Régis Abby—were already on the decks, accompanied by Grammy-winning pianist Brian Kennedy, the city lights twinkling behind them.
—Rachel Marlowe, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twinkling
Noun
-
Without him, Heiskanen and Harley had to log even heavier minutes in an already long and grueling game.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Catastrophic wildfires are not new for Chile, but this year’s stand out for how fast the flames spread, devouring an average of nearly 25 acres every minute.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Under his meticulous care, the gleaming red sports car has been souped up to generate 400-horsepower turbo performance, but retains much of the original features and feel.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The trailer features stunning images of the massive gleaming white cube that was the centerpiece of the staging and Instagram-worthy shots of the pryo and special effects that made the tour a must-see for fans.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Moniak, meanwhile, continues flashing star power.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In the past, even when Gobert has done his job to the best of anyone’s abilities, Jokic has often found answers in the form of knocking down outside jumpers or by flashing his feathery touch in the midrange.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the gutter, the usual New Orleans blend of litter and live-oak leaves was topped by a shimmering layer of pink fish scales glinting in the sun.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The path down is picturesque, but peppered with black snakes glinting in the sun.—
Kristina Kasparian,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His heart can beat rapidly or stop completely, and his chest can rise and fall in accordance with his heartbeat.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Just to get my heartbeat (up) and get on the treadmill, do a bit of running and weights.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In between glistening, shirtless crunches and sexy dalliances, Crown’s motives become clearer.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.—
Jude Noel,
Pitchfork,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Absorptive, addictive, violent (and by then near-universal, with televisions flickering in ninety-five per cent of American homes), TV was officially a bad mom.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sensing something was wrong, the family looked out a back window and noticed a flickering light.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Robbie was joined at the event by Zoe Saldaña, who posed beside her in a glittering gold Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello dress and Cartier jewelry.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Beyond the breathtaking entrance, with its twin staircases, wrought iron railings, and a glittering chandelier, Hotel Casa del Mar has 129 guest rooms and 16 suites, including multi-bedroom ocean-view suites and three two-story Penthouse Suites.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Twinkling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twinkling. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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