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

Misty Copeland dazzles on the red carpet in a shimmery gown at the Dance Theatre of Harlem 2026 Vision Gala in New York City on April 17. —Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

Rather than trot out the talent ahead of the film’s start (a standard practice), King and Fuqua dazzled the packed house of 3,300 with introductions to Jaafar Jackson; the Jackson family including EP and King of Pop’s son Prince Jackson; Nia Long; Colman Domingo; and more. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026

The ability to understand images, handle multiple tasks at once and respond to health questions are not features designed to just dazzle in a demo. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026

Tayari is building a legacy while nurturing her fellow writers and dazzling her readers with grace, charm, poise, and a brilliant smile. —Imani Perry, Time, 15 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