twinkle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
twinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
twinkled,
past participle, past
-
twinkling
present participle
-
to shine with a flickering gleam of light, as a star or distant light.
-
to sparkle in the light.
The diamond on her finger twinkled in the firelight.
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(of the eyes) to be bright with amusement, pleasure, etc.
-
to move flutteringly and quickly, as flashes of light; flit.
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Archaic. to wink; blink.
verb (used with object)
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twinkles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
twinkled,
past participle, past
-
twinkling
present participle
-
to emit (light) in intermittent gleams or flashes.
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Archaic. to wink (the eyes or eyelids).
noun
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twinkles
plural
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a flickering or intermittent brightness or light.
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a scintillating brightness in the eyes; sparkle.
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the time required for a wink; a twinkling.
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Archaic. a wink.
verb
-
to emit or reflect light in a flickering manner; shine brightly and intermittently; sparkle
twinkling stars
-
(of the eyes) to sparkle, esp with amusement or delight
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rare to move about quickly
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rare (also tr) to wink (the eyes); blink
noun
-
an intermittent gleam of light; flickering brightness; sparkle or glimmer
-
an instant
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a rare word for wink 1
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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twinklesimple
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twinklessimple
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have twinkledperfect
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has twinkledperfect
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am twinklingprogressive
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are twinklingprogressive
-
is twinklingprogressive
-
have been twinklingperfect progressive
-
has been twinklingperfect progressive
Past
-
twinkledsimple
-
had twinkledperfect
-
was twinklingprogressive
-
were twinklingprogressive
-
had been twinklingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of twinkle
before 900; Middle English twinklen (v.), Old English twinclian; see twink, -le
Explanation
To twinkle is to sparkle and shine with a flickering light. A night sky in a dark place appears to be filled with stars that twinkle, almost like diamonds in the sky. Stars aren't the only things that twinkle. People whose eyes seem to glimmer with a magical or playful charm can be described as having a twinkle in their eyes. Holiday lights that flicker and flash, gemstones that sparkle in the light, and shimmering fairy lights strung across a patio are examples of other things that twinkle.
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:
With a twinkle in his eye, he adds: "I have still got that sense of adventure."
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
It’s something that should have come up at your onboarding with the financial planner, even if you signed up with them a long time ago and retirement was only a twinkle in your eye.
From MarketWatch ● May 26, 2026
Roberts laughed, but the twinkle in his eye was genuine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
There’s a signature warm, intimate-feeling hue to the shots, with each guest’s hair and eyes lit up with just the right amount of twinkle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
Ms. Lena grins, and her gold teeth twinkle in the darkness.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
At almost every window, a candle or star-shaped decoration twinkles a sign of welcome.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 27, 2023
To reach phones on the ground, the satellite uses a large, reflective antenna roughly the size of a racquetball court that twinkles brightly as it orbits.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 13, 2022
At the top of each hour while lit, it twinkles thanks to 20,000 flashing bulbs.
From Reuters ● Sep. 13, 2022
A new video board twinkles like a Christmas tree, shuffling through odds changes on one side while the scene in the paddock beams to the families lined along the apron.
From New York Times ● Jul. 19, 2021
I look into her eye, which twinkles back at me.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
In the distance, the lights of the Southland twinkled underneath a scrim of haze.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2024
In the adjacent shopping center, Christmas decorations twinkled overhead, but every second shop lay vacant, a sign of the area’s hard times.
From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2022
Back in Frisco during Diwali, blocks of homes near Hanuman Temple twinkled with lights through the pouring rain.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2022
Beading on the first lady’s long-sleeved, navy, off-the-shoulder column gown twinkled; light danced in the gaps between the multitude of subtle flower appliqués that composed its outer silhouette.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 1, 2022
Nearer at hand a few lights twinkled in the village of Woodhall.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
"The sky here has always been twinkling like this," 28-year-old Dolker says.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the cabin headliner, twinkling like thousands of LED stars in the firmament.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
It is faster and brighter than Space Mountain, as the Galacticoaster is heavily populated with twinkling stars, planetary projections and many a Lego brick creation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026
The audience rehashed its hunches, they circled potential suspects, they stared at a static image of a horrific crime scene, awash in twinkling moonlight.
From Slate ● Feb. 23, 2026
Whatever the scientific theory, I loved the idea of creating my own mini twinkling star, even if it only lasted for a microsecond.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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