twinkle
1 of 2verb
twin·kle ˈtwiŋ-kəl 
twinkled; twinkling ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ
intransitive verb
1
: to shine with a flickering or sparkling light : scintillate
2
a
: to appear bright especially with merriment
his eyes twinkled
b
: to flutter the eyelids
3
: to flutter or flit rapidly
transitive verb
1
: to cause to shine with fluctuating light
2
: to flicker or flirt rapidly
twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes
Glenway Wescott
Glenway Wescott twinkler
ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lər
noun twinkle
2 of 2noun
1
: an intermittent radiance : flicker, sparkle
2
: a rapid flashing motion : flit
3
: a wink of the eyelids
4
: the instant's duration of a wink : twinkling
twinkly
ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)lē
adjective 
Synonyms
Verb
- blink
- flash
- wink
Noun
- beat
- eyeblink
- flash
- heartbeat
- instant
- jiff
- jiffy
- minute
- moment
- nanosecond
- New York minute
- second
- shake
- split second
- trice
- twinkling
- wink
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The lights of the city twinkled in the distance. Stars twinkle in the night sky. Her eyes twinkled with excitement. Noun We saw the twinkle of a candle in the window. in just a twinkle, the shooting star was gone
Recent Examples on the Web Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Afterward, sit on your expansive deck or soak in your private hot tub while these gentle giants roam around you as the stars twinkle above. Katie Lockhart, House Beautiful, 1 June 2022 Ranging from mega charm necklaces to twinkle star studs, there is a piece of jewelry for everyone in the Colette line. Charlotte Diamond, Vogue, 24 June 2022 Every bedroom and the living areas offer endless ocean views, while some also capture elevated views to the east where lights twinkle in the night sky. Brenda Richardson, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 The points seemed to twinkle as the starlike image slowly enlarged. New York Times, 17 Mar. 2022 Some of their eyes twinkle as certain questions activate dormant memories. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2022 Is there a more striking illustration of this trend than the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, encased in a mantle of shiny aluminum fins that sparkle and twinkle like so many vertical sequins? Michael J. Lewis, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2022 The hotel’s rooftop restaurant enjoys one of the most spectacular vistas in the city, with the San Jacinto mountains providing a dramatic backdrop to the west while the city lights twinkle below. Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2022 Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 31 Aug. 2022 Now 70 years old, with an avuncular twinkle, Shadinov is one of the dwindling number of Moynaq residents who lived through this transformation. Henry Wismayer, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2022 Now 70 years old, with an avuncular twinkle, Shadinov is one of the dwindling number of Moynaq residents who lived through this transformation. Henry Wismayer, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 Elvis had a come-hither demon glare nestled within that twinkle of a smile. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 May 2022 Reporting from The Conversation reveals that a star's twinkle is an optical illusion. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 These crucial sonic elements often sound muffled, typically with Buds Pro smoothing over the twinkle of a cymbal or the sharpness of a synthesizer tone. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 28 July 2022 Dickey can project pure fearsomeness (who could forget her smashing Jennifer Lawrence in the head with a mug in Winter’s Bone?), the pale blue twinkle of her eyes freezing into a cruel gaze. Jon Frosch, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2022 String lights are an inexpensive solution for giving dark patios a little extra twinkle. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
The hot and cold layers of air in our atmosphere continue to move, and as a result, the light is bent in different ways, making the star appear to twinkle. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Afterward, sit on your expansive deck or soak in your private hot tub while these gentle giants roam around you as the stars twinkle above. Katie Lockhart, House Beautiful, 1 June 2022 Ranging from mega charm necklaces to twinkle star studs, there is a piece of jewelry for everyone in the Colette line. Charlotte Diamond, Vogue, 24 June 2022 Every bedroom and the living areas offer endless ocean views, while some also capture elevated views to the east where lights twinkle in the night sky. Brenda Richardson, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 The points seemed to twinkle as the starlike image slowly enlarged. New York Times, 17 Mar. 2022 Some of their eyes twinkle as certain questions activate dormant memories. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2022 Is there a more striking illustration of this trend than the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, encased in a mantle of shiny aluminum fins that sparkle and twinkle like so many vertical sequins? Michael J. Lewis, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2022 The hotel’s rooftop restaurant enjoys one of the most spectacular vistas in the city, with the San Jacinto mountains providing a dramatic backdrop to the west while the city lights twinkle below. Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2022 Noun
Choose from eight light modes, including combination, slow fade, twinkle and steady on. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 31 Aug. 2022 Now 70 years old, with an avuncular twinkle, Shadinov is one of the dwindling number of Moynaq residents who lived through this transformation. Henry Wismayer, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2022 Now 70 years old, with an avuncular twinkle, Shadinov is one of the dwindling number of Moynaq residents who lived through this transformation. Henry Wismayer, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 Elvis had a come-hither demon glare nestled within that twinkle of a smile. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 May 2022 Reporting from The Conversation reveals that a star's twinkle is an optical illusion. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 These crucial sonic elements often sound muffled, typically with Buds Pro smoothing over the twinkle of a cymbal or the sharpness of a synthesizer tone. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 28 July 2022 Dickey can project pure fearsomeness (who could forget her smashing Jennifer Lawrence in the head with a mug in Winter’s Bone?), the pale blue twinkle of her eyes freezing into a cruel gaze. Jon Frosch, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2022 String lights are an inexpensive solution for giving dark patios a little extra twinkle. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English twinclian; akin to Middle High German zwinken to blink
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
1548, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing twinkle
Kids Definition
twinkle 1 of 2
verb
twin·kle ˈtwiŋ-kəl
twinkled; twinkling
1
: to shine or cause to shine with a flickering or sparkling light
Stars twinkle in the sky.
2
: to appear bright with amusement
His eyes twinkled at the joke.
3
: to move or flutter rapidly
twinkle
2 of 2noun
1
: sparkle entry 2 sense 1, flicker
2
: a very short time
twinkled
verb
1
as in flickered
to shine with light at regular intervals holiday decorations twinkled in the shop windows Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- flickered
- flashed
- glinted
- sparkled
- glimmered
- shimmered
- glittered
- glistened
- winked
- blinked
- spangled
- flared
- glanced
- scintillated
- glistered
- sparked
- coruscated
2
as in gleamed
to shoot forth bursts of light stars twinkling on a crisp September night Synonyms & Similar Words
- gleamed
- glinted
- sparkled
- shimmered
- flashed
- glittered
- glistened
- shone
- shined
- glimmered
- glowed
- winked
- glanced
- spangled
- scintillated
- winkled
- lustered
- lustred
- flamed
- beamed
- glistered
- dazzled
- coruscated
- radiated
- glared
- blinded
- flared
- blazed
- bedazzled
- dazed
- burned
- burnt