sparkle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
sparkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sparkled,
past participle, past
-
sparkling
present participle
-
to issue in or as if in little sparks, as fire or light.
The candlelight sparkled in the crystal.
-
to emit little sparks, as burning matter.
The flames leaped and sparkled.
-
to shine or glisten with little gleams of light, as a brilliant gem; glitter; coruscate.
-
to effervesce, as wine.
-
to be brilliant, lively, or vivacious.
verb (used with object)
-
sparkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sparkled,
past participle, past
-
sparkling
present participle
noun
-
sparkles
plural
-
a little spark or fiery particle.
-
a sparkling appearance, luster, or play of light.
the sparkle of a diamond.
- Synonyms:
- glitter
-
brilliance, liveliness, or vivacity.
verb
-
to issue or reflect or cause to issue or reflect bright points of light
-
(intr) (of wine, mineral water, etc) to effervesce
-
(intr) to be vivacious or witty
noun
-
a point of light, spark, or gleam
-
vivacity or wit
Synonym Usage
See glisten.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sparklesimple
-
sparklessimple
-
have sparkledperfect
-
has sparkledperfect
-
am sparklingprogressive
-
are sparklingprogressive
-
is sparklingprogressive
-
have been sparklingperfect progressive
-
has been sparklingperfect progressive
Past
-
sparkledsimple
-
had sparkledperfect
-
was sparklingprogressive
-
were sparklingprogressive
-
had been sparklingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sparkle
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun and verb); see spark 1, -le
Explanation
Fairy dust, stars, Christmas lights, Hanukkah candles, freshly fallen snow, a lake when the sun hits it just right — all of these things sparkle. That means they shine with a bright, glistening, shimmering light. Sparkle can also refer to joy or merriment. When you're having a really good time, your face will sparkle. As a verb, sparkle means to be lively and excited, or to be so brilliant at something that you shine above the rest. It can also describe something bubbly or foamy — like when you add soap to your bath to make the bathwater sparkle. Sparkle can also describe something that produces sparks — like a magic wand.
Vocabulary lists containing sparkle
NAEP Test Words
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"The Forgotten Treasure" and "There Is No Word for Goodbye"
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"Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates"
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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:
All of the sparkle of that film has turned to ash in this superfluous and inert bore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The man behind all that sparkle and shine was Bob Mackie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
"I just feel like her sparkle lives on in all of us," said Rickards.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
And she says the Fleadh couldn't be held without them: "Volunteers add that extra sparkle to any event. They're not here to replace any paid staff but they're there to provide that warm welcome."
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
I watched specks of moonlight sparkle off the water’s surface whenever a small swell rolled toward shore.
From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña
Mackie, known widely as the King of Camp, who adorned superstars including Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus with fringe and sparkles, died on Sept. 14 in Palm Springs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
"There's something very clever about Drag Race," Dawson said, "because you come for the sequins and the sparkles, but actually under its surface, you're dealing with really big, heavy and important topics."
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
Joanne Kaufman writes that Ryan Effgen’s family comedy sparkles with “genuine humor, smart writing and an ending that bravely goes for hopeful rather than happy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
Chunky platform sandals, fitted baby tees, butterfly clips on perfectly crimped hair, brightly patterned skirts and tons of sparkles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
As for John Mark, he’s been waxing the truck every other day, making sure it sparkles inside and out when Mom has to ride in it.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
Root has sparkled since relinquishing the captaincy, averaging over 54 since June 2022 compared to an average of 46.44 in the five years prior and scoring 16 of his 41 Test centuries.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Tuesday evening’s April quarter earnings sparkled, as sales of $3 billion and earnings 85 cents a share both surpassed analyst estimates.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
The MacArthur “genius grant” winner sparkled with sartorial edge as he strutted across the stage in a white tuxedo shirt to discuss his book “Emperor of Gladness.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
On a recent winter night, frost sparkled in the air like cold confetti and a warm glow spilled from the small windows of a tavern in the one-stoplight village of Sergeantsville, N.J.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Draped in a black Marvellian mantle, she held a cane that sparkled in the moonlight.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
It also features sparkling cameos from Penélope Cruz as a sultry cabaret dancer and Glenn Close as a Spanish-speaking American professor.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
“From its elevated vantage point, the Pacific becomes an ever-changing backdrop, glowing at sunrise, sparkling throughout the day, and transforming beneath spectacular sunsets,” the description continues.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
My fridge is always stocked with: eggs, greens, a lot of Spindrift sparkling water, lemons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
"Anybody who wants to walk into a construction site that's nice and clean and sparkling, it's our honour to have you do so," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The lagoon was glittering and beautiful, with hundreds of sparkling lights and glowing plants.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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