flicker
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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flickers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flickered,
past participle, past
-
flickering
present participle
-
to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light; blink on and off.
The candle flickered in the draft and went out.
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to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver.
The long grasses flickered in the wind.
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to flutter.
Her eyelids flickered, the only sign she'd been startled.
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to appear or occur briefly.
A smile flickered across his face.
verb (used with object)
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flickers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flickered,
past participle, past
-
flickering
present participle
noun
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an unsteady flame or light.
A dim flicker of lamplight was all that illuminated the room.
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a flickering movement.
The flicker of the snake's tongue was hypnotizing.
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a brief occurrence or appearance.
The thought of reinforcements gave them a flicker of hope.
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Slang. Often flickers flick.
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Ophthalmology. the visual sensation of flickering that occurs when the interval between intermittent flashes of light is too long to permit fusion.
noun
verb
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(intr) to shine with an unsteady or intermittent light
a candle flickers
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(intr) to move quickly to and fro; quiver, flutter, or vibrate
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(tr) to cause to flicker
noun
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an unsteady or brief light or flame
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a swift quivering or fluttering movement
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a visual sensation, often seen in a television image, produced by periodic fluctuations in the brightness of light at a frequency below that covered by the persistence of vision
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(plural) a US word for flick 2
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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flickersimple
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flickerssimple
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have flickeredperfect
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has flickeredperfect
-
am flickeringprogressive
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are flickeringprogressive
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is flickeringprogressive
-
have been flickeringperfect progressive
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has been flickeringperfect progressive
Past
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flickeredsimple
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had flickeredperfect
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was flickeringprogressive
-
were flickeringprogressive
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had been flickeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flicker1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb flikeren, flekeren, Old English flicerian, flicorian “to flutter”; cognate with Dutch flikkeren
Origin of flicker2
An Americanism dating back to 1800–10; said to be imitative of the bird's note
Explanation
To flicker is to flash on and off at random. If your computer screen is flickering right now, you are probably having trouble reading this. Something that is flickering is flashing on and off in an unpredictable way. A fluorescent light may flicker for a while before it stops working. A flicker is also a quick flash or burst of light, like a glint or a spark. Similarly, flicker can refer to a sudden and short-lived feeling. A child opening a present might have a flicker of excitement before realizing that the box contains only tube socks and underwear.
Vocabulary lists containing flicker
Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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"The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W.B. Yeats
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"The Song of Wandering Aengus" and "Sonnet 43," Vocabulary from the poems
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
U.S. manufacturers have increased their head count by 72,000 since December, a flicker of hope after years of declining employment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
A group could be deep in conversation when the puck sprang to life, producing a brief, collective flicker of delight.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Nevertheless, Europe is benefiting from a flicker of activity in the defence sector, notably with the stock market debut in Amsterdam of Czech arms giant CSG, at $4.47 billion, the third-largest deal worldwide since January.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The lads barely flinched, only allowing themselves a brief flicker of enjoyment on the second chorus.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Fred saw a flicker of fear in Abby’s eyes.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
On the corner of another table, the flame from a candle flickers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Outside of flickers like Carmelo Anthony’s homecoming and Linsanity, Madison Square Garden was funereal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
"No matter how difficult times are, I believe that humans always manage to find flickers of levity and deep wells of love," she said.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
Inside an underground shelter at a hospital in the Israeli city of Haifa, a television screen flickers with images of Iranian missiles as doctors and midwives deliver Sarah Bird's third child.
From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026
Leo could see flickers of movement inside, but it was eerily quiet.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
The neon kangaroo flickered, releasing a rhythmic, neon buzz.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
A lit candle flickered among the flowers, where a teddy bear was also perched.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
In one recording of a WhatsApp video call seen by AFP, the scammer, appearing lifelike as the prince, flickered on the screen.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Claude Code was released to the public last year, months after it flickered to life on Cherny’s screen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026
Her form flickered, the way Daffodil Manor’s electric lights did during a storm, and Ophie decided to change the subject.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
With the flash of red tail lights flickering outside of the stadium, a sign of Dodgers fans already heading for the exits, Dodgers hitters went down in order in the final half inning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
He saw Bori’s flickering silhouette gripping the bars.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Absorbed students carefully threaded wires into junction boxes to make circuits connected to lights, bulbs flickering on one by one to signal a job well done.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The world watched as Bad Bunny and his dancers performed on top of utility poles, accompanied by sparks and flickering power lines across the stage.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“No, Shilling,” she said, stroking his head and planting a soft kiss on his nose with her flickering lips.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
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