twinkling
Americannoun
-
an act of shining with intermittent gleams of light.
-
the time required for a wink; an instant.
-
Archaic. winking; a wink.
noun
Other Word Forms
- untwinkling adjective
Etymology
Origin of twinkling
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at twinkle, -ing 1
Explanation
The adjective twinkling refers to light that appears sporadically bright and then faint. When the light from stars is twinkling, it may look as if they're winking at you. Of course, it's not the stars themselves that are twinkling, but their light, which gets refracted as it passes through the turbulence of the earth's atmosphere. The same goes for the lights of distant cities or any other lights that stay constant but appear to brighten and dim. As a noun, twinkling means something brief, as in "the twinkling of an eye."
Vocabulary lists containing twinkling
Let There Be Light: Synonyms for "Bright"
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!
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, Chapters 7–9
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!
"Not-So-Starry Nights: Light Pollution Turns Night into Day"
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.
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
Over time, they detected slow but pronounced changes in this twinkling behavior, known as scintillation.
From Science Daily • Jan. 6, 2026
“No,” the Huntsman said, his eyes twinkling maliciously.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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.
