glance

1 of 2

verb

glanced; glancing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to take a quick look at something
glanced at his watch
b
of the eyes : to move swiftly from one thing to another
2
: to strike a surface obliquely so as to go off at an angle
The bullet glanced off the wall.
3
a
: to make sudden quick movements
dragonflies glancing over the pond
b
: to flash or gleam with quick intermittent rays of light
brooks glancing in the sun
4
: to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly
The work glances at the customs of ancient cultures.

transitive verb

1
: to give an oblique path of direction to:
a
: to throw or shoot so that the object deflects from a surface
b
archaic : to aim (something, such as an innuendo) indirectly : insinuate
2
archaic
a
: to take a quick look at
b
: to catch a glimpse of
glancer noun

glance

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a quick or cursory look
was good at sizing people up at a glance
b
: a swift movement of the eyes
2
a
: a deflected impact or blow
b
archaic : a rapid oblique movement
3
a
: a quick intermittent flash or gleam
b
archaic : a sudden quick movement
4
archaic
a
: a brief satirical reference to something : gibe
b
Phrases
at first glance
: on first consideration
At first glance the subject seems harmless enough.

Examples of glance in a Sentence

Verb Glancing down, she noticed her shoe was untied. I glanced at my watch. He sat quietly, glancing through a magazine. She glanced up from her book when he entered the room. Noun He gave me a quick glance over his shoulder. I took a glance at the newspaper this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Anton doesn’t glance at his bodyguard, but Calla is watching him carefully. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2024 The mom of three then struck a few poses and walked out of the elevator, glancing at the camera as the beat from the track could be heard in the background. Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024 The department said that the dumpster had compacted the garbage four times when the woman was stuck inside. NEW HAMPSHIRE WEDDING SHOOTER GETS 40 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON The observant driver glanced at the camera that was located inside the truck, and noticed the woman desperately calling for help. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 31 Jan. 2024 Bush curiously glanced to her side, perhaps looking for a briefcase holding the new disguise. Dawn Klavon, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024 The fluky sequence occurred when a shot from Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault glanced off Faber’s stick, fluttered into the air and landed behind Gustavsson to make it 1-0. Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 13 Feb. 2024 On paper, the two cities have a glancing similarity with diverse urban populations, liberal voters and violent crime. Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2024 The two of them sat quietly, glancing out at the shimmering waters below. Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 9 Feb. 2024 The test proctor kindly tried to put me at ease and then glanced at her computer — her eyes widened. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
At first glance, images circulating online showing former President Donald Trump surrounded by groups of Black people smiling and laughing seem nothing out of the ordinary, but a look closer is telling. Matt Brown, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 At first glance, this looks more like a Dallas situation than a Sterling/Clippers situation. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Mar. 2024 From first glance, the Baby Brezza Superfast Sterilizer Dryer looks like a professional setup. Samson McDougall, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 At first glance, the pinpoints of light shining in the blackness of space look like little stars. Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 2 Mar. 2024 The curators of Multiple Realities take pains to distinguish works by Eastern Bloc artists from Western European and American art that might appear similar at first glance. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 At first glance, these sad, middle-aged men seem utterly unlike their creator, yet there is something childlike about all of them, and their desire for a better, more just world. Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Chris Gwynn is certain to give it a glance before walking to the mound to throw out the first pitch Friday night when the Aztecs host Missouri. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 At first glance, the LifeStraw, which comes in four different colors, looks like a weighted diving stick. Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English glencen, glenchen

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

1503, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glance was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near glance

Cite this Entry

“Glance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glance

1 of 2 verb
glanced; glancing
1
: to strike and fly off at an angle
the arrow glanced off the shield
2
: to give a quick or hasty look
glanced at my watch
glanced up from a book
3
glancingly
ˈglan(t)-siŋ-lē
adverb

glance

2 of 2 noun
1
: a quick flash or gleam that comes and goes
2
: an impact or blow that is turned aside
3
a
: a swift movement of the eyes
b
: a quick or hasty look

More from Merriam-Webster on glance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!