sparkle

[ spahr-kuhl ]

verb (used without object)

, spar·kled, spar·kling.

1. to issue in or as if in little sparks, as fire or light:

   The candlelight sparkled in the crystal.

2. to emit little sparks, as burning matter:

   The flames leaped and sparkled.

3. to shine or glisten with little gleams of light, as a brilliant gem; glitter; coruscate.
4. to effervesce, as wine.
5. to be brilliant, lively, or vivacious.

verb (used with object)

, spar·kled, spar·kling.

1. to cause to sparkle:

   moonlight sparkling the water;

   pleasure sparkling her eyes.

noun

1. a little spark or fiery particle.
2. a sparkling appearance, luster, or play of light:

   the sparkle of a diamond.

   Synonyms: glitter

3. brilliance, liveliness, or vivacity.

sparkle

/ ˈspɑːkəl /

verb

1. to issue or reflect or cause to issue or reflect bright points of light
2. intr (of wine, mineral water, etc) to effervesce
3. intr to be vivacious or witty

noun

1. a point of light, spark, or gleam
2. vivacity or wit

Other Words From

• non·sparkling adjective
• outsparkle verb (used with object) outsparkled outsparkling
• un·sparkling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparkle¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun and verb); spark ¹, -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparkle¹

C12 sparklen, frequentative of sparken to spark ¹

Synonym Study

See glisten.

Example Sentences

This was just a dream, a sparkle in our eyes 10 years ago, that we would be able to sequence this many genomes.

From Quanta Magazine

Drawn by the sparkle and pizzazz, West Virginians made the Hollywood a huge success.

From Fortune

Despite the sparkle of the tech economy, there is no guarantee that the new jobs that might arrive will match that standard.

From Fortune

The fun part and being with their peers is where we’re seeing the sparkle come back in their eyes.

From Voice of San Diego

The crown jewel of India’s banking system is losing its sparkle.

From Quartz

Sitting in that plastic pitcher, she said, the water seemed to sparkle.

From The Daily Beast

Travelers are in danger of losing the “sparkle in their eyes” if they know too much in advance.

From The Daily Beast

Sascha Hertli, chief executive of Rococo Dessous, discovered the missing sparkle while a consultant in oil-rich Qatar.

From The Daily Beast

I got back in shape when I moved to Los Angeles, and with that went most of my Roger Sterling sparkle.

From The Daily Beast

But he took the “sparkle” just before driving Shrimpton down a narrow winding mountain road.

From The Daily Beast

It warmed the heart of Marcelle, too, and made her cheeks glow and her eyes sparkle—and added a rosier color to her lips.

From Project Gutenberg

It certainly does not sparkle now, but it must have come of a witty stock, and have boasted a mirth-provoking pedigree.

From Project Gutenberg

The sunshine was hot, the snow was brilliantly white, and seemed to sparkle as if covered with diamonds.

From Project Gutenberg

Through the broad leaves of the trees showed the night sky, pale with moonlight and the sparkle of the stars.

From Project Gutenberg

But here the sparkle in the wine had died, leaving the cup that had brimmed flat and dull and only half full after all.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• flicker
• gleam
• glimmer
• glint
• glisten
• glow
• scintillate
• shimmer
• twinkle
• wink