flickeringly

Flickeringly is an adverb derived from the verb "to flicker," which describes a light or flame that wavers or burns unsteadily. When something is described as flickeringly, it suggests a quality of intermittent or unsteady appearance, often associated with light, but also applicable to other phenomena that exhibit a similar irregular pattern.

The most common usage of flickeringly relates to light. A candle might burn flickeringly in a draft, or a faulty lightbulb could cast a flickeringly dim glow. This implies a rapid, inconsistent fluctuation in brightness, rather than a steady state. The effect can be visually unsettling or even disorienting, depending on the intensity and frequency of the flickering.

Beyond literal light, flickeringly can be used metaphorically. A memory might return flickeringly, suggesting it is not sharp or clear but rather appears and disappears intermittently. Similarly, hope or belief could be described as flickeringly present, indicating its fragile and uncertain nature. The term captures a sense of something that is not consistently visible or present, but rather appears in brief, irregular intervals. The adverb emphasizes the manner in which something is happening, highlighting its unsteady and transient quality.