1
a
: a transient appearance of subdued or partly obscured light
the gleam of dawn in the east
b(1)
: a small bright light
the gleam of a match
(2)
: glint
a gleam in his eyes
2
: a brief or faint appearance
a gleam of hope
gleamed; gleaming; gleams
1
: to shine with or as if with subdued steady light or moderate brightness
2
: to appear briefly or faintly
a light gleamed in the distance
: to cause to gleam
Synonyms
Examples of gleam in a Sentence
Noun
He saw the gleam of a flashlight in the distance.
the rich gleam of the polished wood
Verb
The sun gleamed on the water.
His eyes were gleaming with delight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenny Berg, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Image Image This scale of this magnificent transformation from grime to gleam is what inspired the photographer Christopher Payne to spend hundreds of hours shuttling between Coney Island and Upper Manhattan since January 2020, to vividly capture the breadth of the work.
—David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The straightened surface of my hair has the glassy gleam that Instagram girlies dream of.
—Jessica Cruel, Allure, 20 Feb. 2024
The ad had the milquetoast gleam characteristic of media generated by AI, though beyond aesthetics there’s no indication that that’s the case.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2024
But that early gleam of promise gradually fades as Criminal Record settles into its rut.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2024
No’s warm, welcoming voice, emotional clarity and eloquent songwriting skills gleam.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2024
As the men prepare to board the sub, Salvatore assembles them for a pep talk, and his look is striking: the double-breasted brown leather coat, the coiffed hair and thick goatee, the gleam of burning-eyed fatalism.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 30 Aug. 2023
Find it on Amazon This Satin Set To Feel Sophisticated
Glide and gleam with this Satin Set that is the perfect choice for all of your fun plans this season.
—Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
Joby Warrick, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The yacht underwent its dramatic conversion in a facility in Abu Dhabi’s main port, emerging as a gleaming superyacht in 2011, with one of the most interesting profiles on the water.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
The album is expansive and carefree, with swatches of psychedelia and tons of bright, gleaming synths.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The hands are crafted from black shimmery material, while the fingernails gleam in silver.
—Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
These gleaming phenomena are without a doubt the most dazzling objects in the cosmos — and scientists believe they are fueled by supermassive black holes that are the central engines of large galaxies.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
It was held in Zappeion Hall, an enormous circular structure that was built in 1888 in classical style as a venue for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, with an open atrium, gleaming white Corinthian columns, and brilliantly colored frescoes and floor mosaics.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Behind her, the Polo Club gleamed the dull gleam of brass and mahogany, feather dusters and floor wax.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024
Even on Zoom, her eyes gleam with an infectious excitement that permeates the chilly morning.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
From restoring elasticity to smoothing skin and nourishing it with essential vitamins and minerals, body oil can refresh the skin from head to toe—and deliver a gleam, to boot.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024
Image Image This scale of this magnificent transformation from grime to gleam is what inspired the photographer Christopher Payne to spend hundreds of hours shuttling between Coney Island and Upper Manhattan since January 2020, to vividly capture the breadth of the work.
—David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024
The straightened surface of my hair has the glassy gleam that Instagram girlies dream of.
—Jessica Cruel, Allure, 20 Feb. 2024
The ad had the milquetoast gleam characteristic of media generated by AI, though beyond aesthetics there’s no indication that that’s the case.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2024
But that early gleam of promise gradually fades as Criminal Record settles into its rut.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2024
No’s warm, welcoming voice, emotional clarity and eloquent songwriting skills gleam.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2024
As the men prepare to board the sub, Salvatore assembles them for a pep talk, and his look is striking: the double-breasted brown leather coat, the coiffed hair and thick goatee, the gleam of burning-eyed fatalism.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 30 Aug. 2023
Find it on Amazon This Satin Set To Feel Sophisticated
Glide and gleam with this Satin Set that is the perfect choice for all of your fun plans this season.
—Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
Verb
Before the 2015 nuclear deal, Fordow’s gleaming production halls hummed with the sound of about 3,000 centrifuges.
—Joby Warrick, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The yacht underwent its dramatic conversion in a facility in Abu Dhabi’s main port, emerging as a gleaming superyacht in 2011, with one of the most interesting profiles on the water.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
The album is expansive and carefree, with swatches of psychedelia and tons of bright, gleaming synths.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The hands are crafted from black shimmery material, while the fingernails gleam in silver.
—Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
These gleaming phenomena are without a doubt the most dazzling objects in the cosmos — and scientists believe they are fueled by supermassive black holes that are the central engines of large galaxies.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
It was held in Zappeion Hall, an enormous circular structure that was built in 1888 in classical style as a venue for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, with an open atrium, gleaming white Corinthian columns, and brilliantly colored frescoes and floor mosaics.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Behind her, the Polo Club gleamed the dull gleam of brass and mahogany, feather dusters and floor wax.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024
Even on Zoom, her eyes gleam with an infectious excitement that permeates the chilly morning.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gleam.' 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
Noun
Middle English gleem, from Old English glǣm; akin to Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1508, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of gleam was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near gleam
Cite this Entry
“Gleam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleam. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on gleam
Nglish: Translation of gleam for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gleam for Arabic Speakers
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