glaring

adjective

glar·​ing ˈgler-iŋ 

1

: having a fixed look of hostility, fierceness, or anger

2

a

: shining with or reflecting an uncomfortably bright light

b(1)

: garish

(2)

: vulgarly ostentatious

3

: obtrusively and often painfully obvious

a glaring error

glaringly

ˈgler-iŋ-lē 

adverb

glaringness noun

Synonyms of glaring

• blatant
• obvious

Choose the Right Synonym for glaring

flagrant, glaring, gross, rank mean conspicuously bad or objectionable.

flagrant applies usually to offenses or errors so bad that they can neither escape notice nor be condoned.

flagrant abuse of the office of president

glaring implies painful or damaging obtrusiveness of something that is conspicuously wrong, faulty, or improper.

glaring errors

gross implies the exceeding of reasonable or excusable limits.

gross carelessness

rank applies to what is openly and extremely objectionable and utterly condemned.

rank heresy

Examples of glaring in a Sentence

a glaring example of racism

no one missed the glaring spelling error in the title

Recent Examples on the Web

Brayden Burries, Bucks While most of the vaunted crop of rookie guards from the NCAA ranks struggled, Burries was a glaring exception. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 22 July 2026

While Loathe’s baffling compositional choices may jump out first, the album’s most glaring flaw is its production. — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Sources report to Entertainment Weekly that CBS — the network responsible for this glaring lack of security — launched a full-scale investigation into the matter… only to see the data from that investigation mysteriously wiped from their servers. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026

That comparison may be a bit dramatic, but the cellar-dwelling Red Sox’s four-game sweep over the weekend exposed some of the Aaron Judge-less Yankees’ most glaring issues. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see glare entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for glaring

• airing
• bearing
• blaring
• caring
• chairing
• charing
• daring
• erring
• fairing
• flaring
• haring
• herring

Kids Definition

glaring

adjective

glar·​ing

ˈgla(ə)r-iŋ, 

ˈgle(ə)r-

: painfully obvious

a glaring mistake

glaringly adverb

glaringness noun