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

Walk through the front doors of the Georgia Street entrance and prepare to be dazzled by an enduring piece of Vancouver history. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Eva Marie Saint, the ethereal beauty who won the best supporting actress Oscar for her work in her first motion picture, On the Waterfront, then dazzled audiences as a double agent in North by Northwest, died Tuesday. — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

In the first two post-World Cup matches without Messi, Argentina dazzled in the past week with resounding victories against Bolivia 4-0 and Burkina Faso 7-0. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

And Lamb got his fitting curtain call on a homecoming that stands at the top of a long list of dazzling NFL performances. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 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