1
archaic
: beautiful
2
archaic
: shining, resplendent
1
a
: a bright or shining condition : brightness
b
: a subdued glitter approaching but short of optical reflection
c
: a lustrous surface imparted to textiles through finishing processes or use of shiny yarns
2
: a textile exhibiting notable sheen
Synonyms
Examples of sheen in a Sentence
Noun
Her hair has a sheen to it.
polished the metal until it had an even sheen
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2022
The impact resistant lenses can stand up to wildest show with UV protection and polarized lenses to further protect your peepers, and the ultra-sheen design, available in 5 colors, is guaranteed to steal the spotlight.
—Brandon Schultz, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
Note that flat-sheen paint works best to replicate the look of unglazed encaustic or cement tile.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2021
My Sheets Rock The Regulator $169.00 Bamboo Twill Sheets Made from bamboo twill, these breathable sheets have the softness of rayon with a sheen finish.
—Lauren Levy, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2021
Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, the skin at Dion Lee was near phosphorescent, the silvery sheen something akin to an ethereal angel or a straight-up cyborg.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2023
The latter was already buffed to a brilliant R&B sheen thanks to production and songwriting contributions from Babyface, the Rascals, and BLK.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 25 May 2023
Professor:Oily sheen on East Palestine creek behaving like vinyl chloride So far, Ohio EPA says its tests have not detected vinyl chloride in waterways.
—Anna Staver, The Enquirer, 24 Feb. 2023
Boaters off Orange County and residents of Newport Beach started reporting a petroleum smell in the air and oily sheen on the water Friday afternoon, Oct. 1.
—Christopher Weber, ajc, 8 Oct. 2021
But old pennies have a nice copper sheen all the way through.
—Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, 18 Jan. 2021
This diner digs their seasoning: bacon, thyme, red vinegar and a finishing touch of butter to give the beans sheen.
—Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2020
PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Crews placed 2,400 feet of containment boom around the ship to stop a sheen from spreading into the water, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Kimberly Reaves.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Some of the hazmat containers were breached, and a sheen was identified in the water that will be dealt with by the authorities.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
But in what seems like a blink of an eye, Apple’s sheen is starting to fade.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024
One of the hazardous materials on board included sheen, which is used in paint, that has leaked into the Patapsco River.
—Kelsey Kushner, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
Coat Appearance: After combing the product through my cat’s medium-long hair, her coat had a glossy sheen that looked healthy and smooth.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Coast Guard officials have not determined what caused an oil sheen that appeared off Huntington Beach last week, officials said Monday afternoon.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Just changing the reflective sheen alone might fool cameras.
—Jim Radcliffe, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Prime tile using a bonding primer, then coat floors with a flat-sheen base color.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2022
The impact resistant lenses can stand up to wildest show with UV protection and polarized lenses to further protect your peepers, and the ultra-sheen design, available in 5 colors, is guaranteed to steal the spotlight.
—Brandon Schultz, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
Note that flat-sheen paint works best to replicate the look of unglazed encaustic or cement tile.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2021
My Sheets Rock The Regulator $169.00 Bamboo Twill Sheets Made from bamboo twill, these breathable sheets have the softness of rayon with a sheen finish.
—Lauren Levy, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2021
Verb
Remove weights and parchment paper, and bake until crust has lost its raw dough sheen, 5 to 7 minutes.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, the skin at Dion Lee was near phosphorescent, the silvery sheen something akin to an ethereal angel or a straight-up cyborg.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2023
The latter was already buffed to a brilliant R&B sheen thanks to production and songwriting contributions from Babyface, the Rascals, and BLK.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 25 May 2023
Professor:Oily sheen on East Palestine creek behaving like vinyl chloride So far, Ohio EPA says its tests have not detected vinyl chloride in waterways.
—Anna Staver, The Enquirer, 24 Feb. 2023
Boaters off Orange County and residents of Newport Beach started reporting a petroleum smell in the air and oily sheen on the water Friday afternoon, Oct. 1.
—Christopher Weber, ajc, 8 Oct. 2021
But old pennies have a nice copper sheen all the way through.
—Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, 18 Jan. 2021
This diner digs their seasoning: bacon, thyme, red vinegar and a finishing touch of butter to give the beans sheen.
—Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2020
Noun
In a nice design touch, the ULT button and the Sony logos sport a holographic, multicolor sheen.
—PCMAG, 11 Apr. 2024
Crews placed 2,400 feet of containment boom around the ship to stop a sheen from spreading into the water, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Kimberly Reaves.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Some of the hazmat containers were breached, and a sheen was identified in the water that will be dealt with by the authorities.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
But in what seems like a blink of an eye, Apple’s sheen is starting to fade.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024
One of the hazardous materials on board included sheen, which is used in paint, that has leaked into the Patapsco River.
—Kelsey Kushner, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024
Coat Appearance: After combing the product through my cat’s medium-long hair, her coat had a glossy sheen that looked healthy and smooth.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Coast Guard officials have not determined what caused an oil sheen that appeared off Huntington Beach last week, officials said Monday afternoon.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024
Just changing the reflective sheen alone might fool cameras.
—Jim Radcliffe, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sheen.' 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
Adjective
Middle English shene, from Old English scīene; akin to Old English scēawian to look — more at show
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of sheen was
before the 12th century
Dictionary Entries Near sheen
Cite this Entry
“Sheen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheen. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
sheen
nounˈshēn
: a bright or shining condition
the sheen of satin
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