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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Forgotten Treasure" and "There Is No Word for Goodbye"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The expansion to 48 teams and 104 games, meanwhile, made room for a number of surprises that gave the tournament its life and sparkle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Brilliant blue and white stars sparkle against glowing crimson clouds of hydrogen gas, creating a breathtaking scene that resembles fireworks shining through drifting smoke.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
“That is the grown-up part of the AI story: Less sparkle, more spreadsheet.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
Magpies boss Martin Paterson was glowing in his praise of Jones' display - but he also highlighted the work of others within the team for helping the wide man sparkle.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
Mother merely stood there before him while all the sparkle drained out of her face.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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
A brilliant field of red, white, and blue stars sparkles across a new image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, resembling a sparkler glowing against the night sky.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
Inside an unassuming portable cabin in York, multicoloured prom dresses adorned with jewels and sparkles line the walls.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
“Plus I glued sparkles on the tails,” the boy added, “so. they’d be easy to spot.”
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
The 39-year-old has sparkled at his sixth World Cup - a joint record with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa - scoring eight goals and providing three assists.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 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
In August 2024, Maisie Peters opened for Taylor Swift wearing socks which sparkled with "MP3".
From BBC ● May 22, 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
The pines and the distant church steeple sparkled in the winter sun like an old-fashioned Christmas card.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Tice said warmer weather has upsides: Britain’s sparkling wine would soon challenge French Champagne.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
The island, known for its rows of palm trees and sparkling waters, received more than 13 million foreign and domestic visitors last year.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
After that, I’ll shoot over to Los Feliz and go to Maru Coffee and get either a cortado or the espresso, because it comes with a little sparkling water, and a croissant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Use it anywhere a little concentrated summer would be welcome: shaken into cocktails or mocktails, stirred into iced matcha or sparkling water, drizzled over gelato or spooned onto yogurt.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
It was a clear and sparkling day when the Yaks arrived, and the young pilots of the 586th were thrilled at the dangerous beauty of their new snow-white planes against the snowy landscape.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
