flicker

[ flik-er ]

See synonyms for: flicker flickering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light; blink on and off: The candle flickered in the draft and went out.
to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver: The long grasses flickered in the wind.

to flutter: Her eyelids flickered, the only sign she'd been startled.
to appear or occur briefly: A smile flickered across his face.

verb (used with object)

to cause to flicker: She flickered the lights quickly to attract their attention.

noun

an unsteady flame or light: A dim flicker of lamplight was all that illuminated the room.
a flickering movement: The flicker of the snake's tongue was hypnotizing.

a brief occurrence or appearance: The thought of reinforcements gave them a flicker of hope.
Often flick·ers .Slang. flick².
Ophthalmology. the visual sensation of flickering that occurs when the interval between intermittent flashes of light is too long to permit fusion.

Origin of flicker

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb flikeren, flekeren, Old English flicerian, flicorian “to flutter”; cognate with Dutch flikkeren

Other words for flicker

1	flare, glimmer, gleam; flash, shimmer, twinkle

See synonyms for flicker on Thesaurus.com

Other words from flicker

flick·er·ing·ly, adverb
flick·er·y, adjective
un·flick·er·ing, adjective
un·flick·er·ing·ly, adverb

Other definitions for flicker (2 of 2)

flicker²

[ flik-er ]

noun

any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes, having the underside of the wings and tail brightly marked with yellow or red and noted for taking insects from the ground as well as trees.

Origin of flicker

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10; said to be imitative of the bird's note

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flicker in a sentence

The candle flicker wakes me up sometimes because I think the lights are back on.
The grid leaves us powerless | Dan Zak | February 18, 2021 | Washington Post
His 29-yard touchdown catch came on a pass thrown by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater off a flea flicker, as the Panthers cashed in on an interception thrown by Ryan.
Teddy Bridgewater shakes off 'cheap shot,’ but Falcons keep it together to hold off Panthers | Mark Maske | October 30, 2020 | Washington Post
He gazed at the flowers and the flickering candles, clearly moved.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops | Michael Daly | December 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
One well-known work, “Exploded Views” (2011), features 2,880 seemingly random, flickering LED lights.
Art Goes High-Tech at These Four Innovative Exhibits | Justin Jones | May 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The best ones have a view of the murals or are near the pretty glass cabinet filled with flickering candles.
Where to Fall in Love—or Just Get Drunk—on Valentine’s Day | Condé Nast Traveler | February 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Dusty paths lined with flickering orange lanterns led us to our final camp, a slice of dramatic Arabian luxury.
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco | Joanna Eede | January 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
For these boys, the man leans in and shines a flickering red light in their faces.
‘Web Junkie’ Is a Harrowing Documentary on China’s Internet Addiction Rehab Clinics | Marlow Stern | January 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
She opened the letter by the flickering firelight, which was stronger on the hearthrug than the light of the dim November day.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold Bennett
With difficulty his almost imperceptible spark of life had been screened and fanned into a dim and flickering flame.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington Macaulay
He snuggled Lovin Child close in his arms and held him there, and stared dim-eyed at the flickering shadows on the wall.
Cabin Fever | B. M. Bower
I sat there, feeling very much alone, with Holaf watching me somberly, the only light a flickering amber from the fire.
Valley of the Croen | Lee Tarbell
She could see him dimly now, under the street lamp that sent a faint, flickering light through the fog.
An Episode Under the Terror | Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for flicker (1 of 2)

flicker¹

/ (ˈflɪkə) /

verb

(intr) to shine with an unsteady or intermittent light: a candle flickers
(intr) to move quickly to and fro; quiver, flutter, or vibrate

(tr) to cause to flicker

noun

an unsteady or brief light or flame
a swift quivering or fluttering movement

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
the flicker (plural) a US word for flick 2 (def. 2)

Origin of flicker

Old English flicorian; related to Dutch flikkeren, Old Norse flökra to flutter

Derived forms of flicker

flickeringly, adverb
flickery, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for flicker (2 of 2)

flicker²

/ (ˈflɪkə) /

noun

any North American woodpecker of the genus Colaptes, esp C. auratus (yellow-shafted flicker), which has a yellow undersurface to the wings and tail

Origin of flicker

C19: perhaps imitative of the bird's call

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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