flicker 1 of 2

Definition of flickernext
as in to flutter
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements a dragonfly flickering above the salt marsh

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flicker

2 of 2

noun

1
as in movie
a story told by means of a series of continuously projected pictures and a sound track as a child, the future director would spend hours sitting in the theater, totally entranced by the flickers

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2
3
as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something there was a flicker of recognition in her eye when I mentioned his name, but she denied knowing him

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flicker
Verb
Absorptive, addictive, violent (and by then near-universal, with televisions flickering in ninety-five per cent of American homes), TV was officially a bad mom. Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026 Sensing something was wrong, the family looked out a back window and noticed a flickering light. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Your breath slows, your eyes flicker, and then suddenly, who is that hovering above you, walking you through your body shutting down? Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026 Was there the flicker of a tone? Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flicker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flicker
Verb
  • Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • At that moment, the sun began to shine brightly, the wind picked up and the curtain fluttered violently.
    Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Imagine having a big ugly boot on your foot, being the most giant man ever, and having to squeeze your body into the row of a movie theater several days in a row?
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 May 2026
  • This weekend marks the start of Hollywood’s summer movie season, a crucial 18-week corridor that runs through Labor Day and often accounts for around 40% of the annual box office.
    Lindsey Bahr, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • He should not be deluded by the Phillies’ quick flurry of wins after replacing Rob Thompson as manager with Don Mattingly.
    Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026
  • QuickTake The fire, one of the most destructive in California history, has also led to a flurry of lawsuits against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Water, the biggest municipal utility in the US.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • This desire to find connection in loss hints that death can often be more tangible to process than estrangement.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The first hint of celebrity Once America became an independent nation, its hatred for the crown turned into intrigue.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Over sunny instrumentation, Rhys flits back and forth between English and Welsh in what feels like a nonsensical miasma of free association.
    David Harris, SPIN, 4 May 2026
  • From there, the event planner extraordinaire flitted around to a few more spots, including MI-V1 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, and Lux, in the old Liquid location.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The lawsuit also alleged Cameron’s actions were hypocritical of his films’ messaging and detailed public backlash Cameron and the films faced for its depictions of Native groups.
    Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
  • The juxtapositions of text and image, which strongly suggest the widening distance between mother and daughter, build in emotional and intellectual power over the film’s ninety-minute duration.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • An unexpected new burst of infamy arrived in 2011, when the motto appeared at SlutWalk NYC, a feminist protest, on a sign held by a protester—a white woman, as far as anyone could tell.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Each new burst of observation, each refined model, peels back another layer, showing us just how dynamic and surprising the life of a star can be.
    Paul Sutter, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Now in an interview with CNN Sports, Biles has offered a glimmer of hope to millions of fans around the world hoping to see her take to the floor for one last dance.
    Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
  • To Nelson, this weakness represented a glimmer of truth.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flicker. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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