# twinkle

/ˈtwɪŋkəɫ/ (US) · /twˈɪŋkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/twinkle
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to shine with flickering light

verb · CEFR B1

to shine with a light that changes from bright to faint very quickly.

For teachers: to emit or reflect light in an intermittent or flickering manner.

- We sat on the balcony and watched the city lights twinkle in the distance.
- From the high mountain pass, the distant village lamps appeared to twinkle through the thin, freezing air.

Usage: Often used to describe stars or distant artificial lights.

### 2. eyes showing amusement

verb · CEFR B2

when your eyes look bright because you are happy, amused, or being playful.

For teachers: to exhibit a bright, sparkling appearance in the eyes, typically signifying amusement, mischief, or joy.

- His eyes began to twinkle as he prepared to tell a funny story.
- The professor's eyes would twinkle whenever a student challenged his theories with a particularly clever argument.

Usage: Usually takes 'with' followed by a noun like 'mischief' or 'delight'.

### 3. a flickering light

noun · CEFR B1

a small, quick flash of light.

For teachers: a brief or intermittent spark or glimmer of light.

- There was a tiny twinkle of light coming from the lighthouse on the horizon.
- The steady twinkle of the satellite moving across the night sky caught the astronomer's attention.

### 4. a playful look

noun · CEFR B2

a bright, happy look in someone's eyes.

For teachers: a sparkling quality in the eyes that suggests amusement or a secret joke.

- She had a mischievous twinkle in her eye when she handed me the gift.
- Despite his stern voice, the subtle twinkle in his eyes revealed that he was not actually angry.

Usage: Commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'a twinkle in one's eye'.

## Examples

- The stars twinkle brightly in the clear night sky.
- From the mountain top, we watched the city lights twinkle in the valley below as evening turned to night.
- The sunlight began to twinkle on the surface of the lake, creating a shimmering effect that made the water appear as though it were covered in diamonds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.