glimpse

1 of 2

verb

ˈglim(p)s 

glimpsed; glimpsing

transitive verb

: to get a brief look at

glimpsed him as he sped by in his car

intransitive verb

1

: to look briefly

glimpsed at the letter and then threw it aside

2

archaic : glimmer

glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2

noun

1

: a fleeting view or look

caught only a glimpse of the mugger

2

archaic : glimmer

Synonyms

Verb

• browse
• dip
• glance
• glint
• peek
• skim

Noun

• cast
• eye
• gander
• glance
• look
• peek
• peep
• regard
• sight
• view

Examples of glimpse in a Sentence

Verb

We glimpsed him through the window as his car sped past.

just glimpsed at the photo then turned his attention elsewhere

Noun

We caught a glimpse of him through the window as his car sped past.

I only got a glimpse of him as we drove by.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The fragments of reality espoused and enforced by Pot’s officials are occasionally pierced by cracks in the façade, into which the French trio is able to occasionally glimpse. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 May 2024

Instead, tourists from Iceland and around the world swarmed to the site, some getting within 500 or so feet of the eruption, to glimpse the brilliant red and crimson lava gushing from the mountain and cascading down its sides. —Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English glimsen; akin to Middle High German glimsen to glimmer, Old English glǣm gleam

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

glimpse

1 of 2 verb

ˈglim(p)s 

glimpsed; glimpsing

: to take a brief look : see momentarily or incompletely

glimpsed the deer running

glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2 noun

: a short hurried view

catch a glimpse of something rushing by