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

Long before audiences saw Glinda’s dazzling pink dresses or Elphaba’s dramatic layered ensembles on the big screen, Paul Tazewell was imagining how silhouette, color and texture would bring the witches of Oz to life. —Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026

From dazzling flowers to delicious vegetables, these plants put on a gold medal-worthy performance in the garden. —Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026

Wyle wore a burgundy suit with a beige shirt and tie, while his wife dazzled in a gold sleeveless floor-length dress. —Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026

His super-sized action hero persona dazzled Californians like the pyrotechnics in one of his Hollywood blockbusters. —Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 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