- present participle of sparkle.
sparkling
Americanadjective
-
shining with flashing points or gleams of reflected light, as the ocean or a faceted gemstone.
-
(of liquids) effervescent; carbonated; fizzy.
sparkling water.
-
brilliant, lively, or vivacious.
sparkling conversation.
Etymology
Origin of sparkling
First recorded in 1350–1400; sparkl(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something that's sparkling shines or glints with many little lights. You might say that the starry night sky is sparkling. You can describe someone's eyes as sparkling, if they twinkle with light, or admire the sparkling lights on your friend's Christmas tree. Another way to use the adjective sparkling is to describe a carbonated beverage, like sparkling wine or sparkling cider. Any fizzy, bubbly drink is sparkling. People have used sparkling to describe wine and eyes since the fifteenth century, and it comes from the Old English spearca, "glowing or fiery particle thrown off."
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.
“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
And alongside the sparkling wine, the money is flowing.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
She turns her back to me to clean invisible dust off the sparkling fairy orb.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
