dazzle

verb

daz·​zle ˈda-zəl 

dazzled; dazzling ˈdaz-liŋ 

ˈda-zə-liŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to lose clear vision especially from looking at bright light

2

a

: to shine brilliantly

… the woods dazzled whitely …

—Truman Capote

b

: to arouse admiration by an impressive display

She dazzles in her live concerts.

transitive verb

1

: to overpower with light

was dazzled by the camera flash

2

: to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance

dazzled us with her wit

dazzle noun

dazzler

ˈda-z(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of dazzle

• blind
• stun

Examples of dazzle in a Sentence

Elvis always dazzled his audiences.

Visitors were dazzled by the mansion's ornate rooms.

She truly dazzles in her live concerts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Game of the Day Harper Dennis dazzled in Allen’s dominant 11-1 win over Prosper on Friday. —Myah Taylor, Dallas Morning News, 10 Apr. 2026

The Day 1 leaderboard is dazzling yet again. —Justin Ray, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Supernova the Strongwoman will dazzle the crowd with risky tricks and demolition. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Here in the Midwest, you can be dazzled by Le Petit Chef at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis; Hotel Phillips in Kansas City, Missouri; Metropolitan at The 9 in Cleveland; and Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph in Columbus, Ohio. —Dashae Engler, Midwest Living, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of daze

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing dazzle

• razzle-dazzle

Kids Definition

dazzle

verb

daz·​zle ˈdaz-əl 

dazzled; dazzling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to overpower with light

the desert sunlight dazzled us

2

: to impress greatly or confuse with brilliance

dazzled the crowds with fiery speeches

dazzle noun

dazzler

-(ə-)lər 

noun

dazzlingly

-(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb