twinkled; twinkling
ˈtwiŋ-k(ə-)liŋ 
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
1
: to cause to shine with fluctuating light
2
: to flicker or flirt rapidly
twinkled the straight, red-lacquered toes—
Glenway Wescott
Glenway Wescott2
: a rapid flashing motion : flit
3
: a wink of the eyelids
4
: the instant's duration of a wink : twinkling
Synonyms
Examples of twinkle in a Sentence
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 WebThania Garcia, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023
Head to Amazon to shop more outdoor spring decor, then keep scrolling for twinkling pastel lights, on-sale outdoor pillows, and Easter wreaths.
—Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
Randy, with his infectious grin, twinkling eyes, warm handshake, and rote recitation of Japanese garden symbology, was not condemned for a string of killings but rather for leading a death squad one summer night in 1987.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024
Today, Lenker’s grin twinkles with a permanent gold replacement.
—Jeremy Gordon, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Fittingly, the track harkens back to that late-90s/turn-of-the-millenium sound, with a somber, twinkling guitar weeping behind booming pop production.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Le Champ is a new French restaurant in the Arts District that’s mostly an outdoor garden under twinkling lights.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024
Every year, our team fans out across the city, looking for the twinkling lights, inflatable Santas and other holiday cheer.
—Charlottefive, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
In warmer weather, long tables stretch out underneath twinkling lights in what might be the city’s coolest courtyard, where locals smoke and sip on natural wine before finishing off with flan.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024
Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
There are eight lighting modes (combination, sequential, in waves, slow glow, chasing/flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on) that turn the tree into a fantastical light display.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023
Engage all your senses Set the mood with lighting: Consider adding a small lamp or even twinkle lights to create an intimate atmosphere.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2024
At night, outdoor table umbrellas twinkle with lights and plenty of Florida seafood fills plates with a menu that features lots of fresh catch items along with Florida shrimp.
—Josie Gulliksen, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
As the twinkle of bulbous holiday ornaments fade away, the gilded glisten of the 2024 Golden Globes arrives, and EW has some bold predictions for winners in the major categories that could be handed out during Sunday's ceremony.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 5 Jan. 2024
These string lights are replete with 40 beautiful snowflake LED lights that twinkle and flash.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Dec. 2023
Amusements often feels like stand-up comedy or vaudevillian variety show, but the twinkle in its performer’s eye is just peculiar enough to keep us guessing.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2023
Streets twinkle under the Christmas lights, hotels, and shops are in full-on festive mode and carols ring out in the capital.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Nov. 2023
Verb
In a video teaser shared Dec. 18, Gosling and Ronson were seen working behind a mixing board in a studio decorated with a twinkling Christmas tree while others don Santa hats.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023
Head to Amazon to shop more outdoor spring decor, then keep scrolling for twinkling pastel lights, on-sale outdoor pillows, and Easter wreaths.
—Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
Randy, with his infectious grin, twinkling eyes, warm handshake, and rote recitation of Japanese garden symbology, was not condemned for a string of killings but rather for leading a death squad one summer night in 1987.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024
Today, Lenker’s grin twinkles with a permanent gold replacement.
—Jeremy Gordon, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Fittingly, the track harkens back to that late-90s/turn-of-the-millenium sound, with a somber, twinkling guitar weeping behind booming pop production.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Le Champ is a new French restaurant in the Arts District that’s mostly an outdoor garden under twinkling lights.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024
Every year, our team fans out across the city, looking for the twinkling lights, inflatable Santas and other holiday cheer.
—Charlottefive, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
In warmer weather, long tables stretch out underneath twinkling lights in what might be the city’s coolest courtyard, where locals smoke and sip on natural wine before finishing off with flan.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
The next day, the stoner, Saul Durand (Jovan Adepo), chalks the experience up to an elaborate hoax; the rest of the world also saw the stars twinkle in code, but the celestial blinks went undetected by Earth’s most powerful telescopes.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
There are eight lighting modes (combination, sequential, in waves, slow glow, chasing/flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on) that turn the tree into a fantastical light display.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023
Engage all your senses Set the mood with lighting: Consider adding a small lamp or even twinkle lights to create an intimate atmosphere.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2024
At night, outdoor table umbrellas twinkle with lights and plenty of Florida seafood fills plates with a menu that features lots of fresh catch items along with Florida shrimp.
—Josie Gulliksen, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
As the twinkle of bulbous holiday ornaments fade away, the gilded glisten of the 2024 Golden Globes arrives, and EW has some bold predictions for winners in the major categories that could be handed out during Sunday's ceremony.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 5 Jan. 2024
These string lights are replete with 40 beautiful snowflake LED lights that twinkle and flash.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 6 Dec. 2023
Amusements often feels like stand-up comedy or vaudevillian variety show, but the twinkle in its performer’s eye is just peculiar enough to keep us guessing.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2023
Streets twinkle under the Christmas lights, hotels, and shops are in full-on festive mode and carols ring out in the capital.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twinkle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of twinkle was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing twinkle
Dictionary Entries Near twinkle
Cite this Entry
“Twinkle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twinkle. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
twinkle
2 of 2 noun1
: a very short time
More from Merriam-Webster on twinkle
Nglish: Translation of twinkle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of twinkle for Arabic Speakers
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