Meaning & use
tinsel
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Meanings
noununcountable
Thin strands of glittering foil that people hang up as a festive decoration, especially on a Christmas tree.
Grammar: Not counted with an or numbers: some tinsel, a strand of tinsel.
Patterns
- tinsel on something
- a strand of tinsel
The children draped silver tinsel along every branch of the tree.
Our cat keeps pulling the tinsel off the bottom shelf.
A tangle of gold tinsel hung from the shop window.
noununcountablefigurativedisapproving
Something that looks glamorous or impressive on the surface but has little real worth.
Grammar: Used figuratively and usually without an article: beneath the tinsel.
Patterns
- the tinsel of something
- behind the tinsel
Behind the tinsel of the awards ceremony, the industry was struggling.
He saw through the tinsel and realized the offer was empty.
Critics said the show was all tinsel and no substance.
Word forms
| plural | tinsels |
|---|
Common combinations
- strand of tinsel
- She found a single strand of tinsel under the sofa in March.
- hang tinsel
- We hang tinsel around the banister every December.
- silver tinsel
- Silver tinsel caught the light of the candles.
- tinsel and baubles
- The box was full of tinsel and baubles.
- the tinsel of fame
- He grew tired of the tinsel of fame.
Synonyms and how they differ
- glitter
- Glitter refers to tiny sparkling bits scattered on surfaces, while tinsel is long, thin strips you hang.
- garland
- A garland is a chain or loop of leaves, paper or flowers, and may not shine at all, unlike tinsel.
- glitz
- Glitz is a figurative word for showy glamour, and matches the second sense of tinsel but not the decoration.
- razzle-dazzle
- Razzle-dazzle is informal and stresses noisy excitement, whereas tinsel suggests glitter hiding a lack of depth.
Opposites
Word family
- tinselly adjective
- cheaply showy, like tinsel
- tinselled adjective
- decorated with tinsel
- tinseltown noun
- a nickname for Hollywood, hinting at its glitter
Commonly confused: tinsel or tensile?
tinsel vs tensile
Tensile describes material that can be stretched, as in tensile strength, and has no connection to decorations.
Practice
The film looked magnificent, but critics called it all ___ and no substance.
Choose one answer.
Tinsel is used figuratively for glitter that hides emptiness. Garland refers to a plain decorative chain and does not carry that meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tinsel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.