⏱️ A brief moment ✨ Sparkling light

twinkling

3.3

Shining with small bright flashes of light

adjective
/ˈtwɪŋklɪŋ/

: destellante

The Christmas lights on the tree were twinkling brightly, adding to the festive atmosphere.

And she had this dress that was like the, the, the, you know, twinkling stars.

Examples

So if you brush up against it, any place you've brushed against it, you get this twinkling blue-green light that's just breathtaking.
She's got a very expensive collar and a smart red lead, eyes twinkling, ears pricked up, tail wagging as she bounds towards you.
It's proper twinkling in different colours as well.
And then we hid in your office with the lights out and watched them go up there and see it because you could see the tree twinkling from the street.
The stars were twinkling in the night sky, creating a beautiful display of light.
As she walked through the garden, the fireflies began twinkling around her like tiny stars.

Synonyms

sparkly

vstwinkling

30 2.3

Shining with many small bright points like glitter

is intermittent and often softer in its sparkling effect

glittery

vstwinkling

11 2.7

Shining with many small, bright points of light

is more gently intermittent rather than constantly flashing bright points

sparkling

vstwinkling

5 1.3

Shining with small bright points like light on snow

is intermittent with a softer flicker rather than steady lively flashes

shimmery

vstwinkling

3 5.0

A soft, flickering shine that gently catches the light

is intermittent but usually a bit more sparkling than a faint glisten

glittering

vstwinkling

2 3.0

Shining with many small bright points like stars

is intermittent and usually shows smaller, less constant flashes

blinky

vstwinkling

2 6.7

Flashing on and off in a way that draws attention

is intermittent but presents a calmer, gentle sparkle rather than loud blinking

scintillating

vstwinkling

1 8.2

Sparkling with small bright flashes of light

is intermittent and less intensely brilliant, showing softer sparkle

scintillant

vstwinkling

Literature

9.9

Shining with many small bright flashes of light

is intermittent and sparkles more softly rather than sharp brief sparks

glinting

vstwinkling

3.6

Shines with small bright flashes of light

is more softly intermittent and less sharply flashing than that

glistering

vstwinkling

Archaic

7.9

Shining with small bright points like light on water

is gentler and more wavering in its intermittent sparkle than that

fulgid

vstwinkling

Literature

9.9

Shining very brightly with small flashes of light

is intermittent and less intensely brilliant than that

aglitter

vstwinkling

Literature

8.1

Shining with many small bright points of light

is intermittent and typically shows a subtler, wavering sparkle

glimmery

vstwinkling

6.6

Shining with a soft, slightly flickering light

matches intermittence but often includes more visible tiny sparkles

flickering

vstwinkling

3.5

Giving light that goes on and off quickly, like a candle flame

is intermittent but emphasizes tiny sparkling points rather than only wavering

flickery

vstwinkling

6.0

Light or image that changes quickly and is not steady

is intermittent yet suggests a softer sparkling rather than rapid instability

aflicker

vstwinkling

Archaic

9.9

Shining with a light that goes on and off

is intermittent with small sparkles rather than primarily unstable glow

Antonyms

constant

360 2.7

Stays the same over time

steady

304 2.0

Not changing over time and remaining the same

Idioms

twinkling of an eye

Informal

1 3.8

A very short time when things change suddenly

How Bright

dazzling

2 3.1

sparkling

5 1.3

twinkling

3.3

flickering

3.5

Surface Forms

twinkling positive

Morphology

twinkling = twinkle (transparent) = twinkle + ing

The adjective is a regular participial adjective formed from the verb 'twinkle' with -ing, directly describing intermittent shining.

Etymology

Twinkling comes from the verb twinkle, a word that copies the quick flash of a small light; think of a star or a lamp that 'blinks' or 'winks'. So to be twinkling is to shine with many small, quick flashes.