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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of twinkling
Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 6 June 2026
The Danish band’s newfound brightness is apparent from the start, as the album opens with twinkling glockespiel.
—Brendan Hay, SPIN, 2 June 2026
This twinkling turquoise-and-peach set looks like a treasure waiting to be discovered at the bottom of the ocean.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Each year, the plaza at Lincoln Center goes through a vernal transformation, its formal granite parterre converted to a busy dance floor with twinkling lights, part of the center’s Summer for the City programming.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The titular town is a serene speck of a place in the west of Japan, near a mountain also called Nagi, a beautiful but raggedy landscape that patchworks swathes of virgin forest, farmed fields and twinkling solar panels.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
In an Instagram post, the actress showed off the park's winter decor — twinkling lights, artificial snow and Christmas trees.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Set just off the main strip, the almost-entirely al fresco restaurant is all twinkling candlelight and old school vibes, with tables set beneath the open sky with the mountains hovering in the distance.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The result is a soft, twinkling glow that looks like the real thing—without the fire hazard.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2026
Verb
With their tiny, twinkling lights, fireflies are icons of a Georgia summer night.
—Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 6 June 2026
The Danish band’s newfound brightness is apparent from the start, as the album opens with twinkling glockespiel.
—Brendan Hay, SPIN, 2 June 2026
This twinkling turquoise-and-peach set looks like a treasure waiting to be discovered at the bottom of the ocean.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Each year, the plaza at Lincoln Center goes through a vernal transformation, its formal granite parterre converted to a busy dance floor with twinkling lights, part of the center’s Summer for the City programming.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The titular town is a serene speck of a place in the west of Japan, near a mountain also called Nagi, a beautiful but raggedy landscape that patchworks swathes of virgin forest, farmed fields and twinkling solar panels.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
In an Instagram post, the actress showed off the park's winter decor — twinkling lights, artificial snow and Christmas trees.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Set just off the main strip, the almost-entirely al fresco restaurant is all twinkling candlelight and old school vibes, with tables set beneath the open sky with the mountains hovering in the distance.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The result is a soft, twinkling glow that looks like the real thing—without the fire hazard.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twinkling
Noun
-
Vegas pulled Carter Hart with about three minutes to go, officially entering desperation mode, but nothing worked, and Nikolaj Ehlers scored an empty-netter to start the party.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
The administration filed a last-minute request to stay the judge's injunction pending their appeal, but it was ultimately rejected.—
Emma Nicholson,
CBS News,
15 June 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
-
The officers, wearing reflective vests, were outside their patrol cars, which were set in place with flashing lights to detour motorists, police said.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
-
Moments later, the alarm began flashing, Caceres said.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
In their gowns and bowties, guests giddily slurp mounds of glinting caviar off the back of their hand.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
No one wanted to stand behind the commanding warriors, draped in blankets and furs, brass hoops in their earlobes, medals and wampum on their strong chests, silver armbands glinting in the light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Lucy had tubes all over her body, and a nurse was trying to establish a heartbeat.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
-
This is the most fearsome repertoire in all of pop music, and Nilles supplied its heartbeat and muscle, and most of its nuance.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Glazed butter is a trend that combines the stunning shade with a chrome topper for a glistening look that's good enough to eat.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
-
Beef cheeks and tongues, Frenched racks of lamb, glistening hams, poulet de Bresse, and rabbits still with their heads, round eyes blinkless under long lashes frozen in the ice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Our favourite was the coco margarita, best consumed while sitting outdoors beneath stars and watching the flickering lights of nearby Nusa Penida and Lombok on the horizon.—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
-
In line with the science of his time, which said that lunar craters were volcanic, Verne ascribes his flickering light to an eruption.—
Neil Oseman,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
In the herb garden beside her home on Colorado Avenue, Cathi Murray digs through the soil and pulls out two glittering black rocks.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
An Indigenous couple pay a visit to another makeshift cross, mist rises from a waterfall, and mountains rear up, first green, then brown, and finally glittering white.—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Twinkling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twinkling. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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