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twinkly

twinkly

4 4.4
Showing bright, friendly eyes or a warm smile
  • adjective
  • /ˈtwɪŋkli/
: brillante
  • She greeted everyone with a twinkly smile that brightened the room.
  • twinkly eyes
  • twinkly lights
  • twinkly smile

Well, my mom had a had a a minivan that had like those twinkly lights.

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Examples

  • "How do you know I'm not a Doomer?" The oldest interrogator, with a bald pate, white stubbly beard, and twinkly eyes, said, "Our people have followed you through university, med school, internship, private practice, then into the Authority on Callisto."

    Fiction book (1999)
  • So much for cute twinkly Christmas lights this year!

    Blog text (28)
  • With all this, I really went to town on the twinkly lights guys.

  • It's the one with the little twinkly lights all around it.

  • Look at all the twinkly stars.

  • How many more twinkly lights do we really need?

  • There he is before me with twinkly blue eyes, white hair, and a white beard.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • So I'm downstairs and we're currently by the fire with the twinkly lights making a Christmas backdrop for Alfie.

  • Liam has that twinkly, edgy air of satisfaction he gets when he senses an opportunity coming along, something to make things go in his direction.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Thousands of tiny white twinkly lights, Christmas decorations, and inviting window displays will entice visitors to step into shops and dine in restaurants before and after the parade.

    Blog text (10)

Synonyms

bright
vstwinkly
226 1.0

Full of happiness and cheer

is more specifically about a sparkling, optimistic facial expression
jolly
vstwinkly
100 1.0

Happy and lively in a friendly way

expresses a softer, sparkling optimism rather than overt high spirits
cheerful
vstwinkly
99 1.0

Happy in a way you show with a smile or friendly actions

emphasizes a twinkling, optimistic sparkle in the facial look
smiling
vstwinkly
83 1.0

Having a smile that shows happiness or friendliness

is more about a twinkling, sparkling optimism than a plain upward face
perky
vstwinkly
46 4.1

Cheerful and full of energy

is milder and more about a bright, optimistic facial sparkle
cheery
vstwinkly
39 1.0

Happy and bright in a way that makes people smile

leans more toward a subtle sparkling optimism in the face
bubbly
vstwinkly
19 3.2

Full of cheerful energy and excitement

is less about energy and more about a gentle sparkling expression
beaming
vstwinkly
13 2.5

Smiling very widely and looking clearly happy

is a lighter, twinkling cheer rather than a full radiant display
sunshiny
vstwinkly
3 2.8

Having bright sunlight and a warm, happy feeling

uses a facial sparkle image rather than a weatherlike cheerfulness
beamish
vstwinkly
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Smiling brightly because you feel happy

is more about a gentle sparkling cheerfulness than full radiant joy
twinkly-eyed
vstwinkly
1 7.0

Eyes that look bright and lively and show friendliness or amusement

focuses on a bright, optimistic whole expression rather than only the eyes
chappy
vstwinkly
  • UK
1 8.1

Happy and full of energy

is more narrowly a facial sparkle suggesting optimism and warmth

Antonyms

sad
∞ 1.0

Feeling unhappy or upset because of something

33 3.4

Cause something to become less sharp, strong or bright

16 2.1

Making people feel sad because of how it looks or feels

Compounds

1 7.0

Eyes that look bright and lively and show friendliness or amusement

A warm happy expression with bright lively eyes

How Cheerful

radiant
59 4.1
beaming
13 2.5
twinkly
4 4.4
cheerful
99 1.0
pleasant
79 1.0

Surface Forms

twinkly positive
twinklier comparative
twinkliest superlative

Morphology

twinkly = twinkle (transparent) = twinkle + y

The adjective 'twinkly' is transparently formed from the verb 'twinkle' with the addition of the suffix '-y', indicating a quality or state.

Etymology

Twinkly comes from the word twinkle ('a small quick flash or sparkle') plus the ending -y ('full of' or 'like'). Think of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star': a twinkly smile or eye is like a tiny bright flash of happiness, which is why the word means a cheerful, sparkling look.