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

The College Football Playoff quarterfinals were dominated by defense until the last of the games provided the closest score in addition to dazzling offense and the third upset. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026

Jasmine Warga dazzles me with the variety of her books. —Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026

Skywatchers have plenty to look forward to in 2026, with a lineup of dazzling naked-eye events in the night sky throughout the year. —Jamie Carter, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026

Fireworks lit up the night sky over the iconic Sydney Harbor dazzling a crowd of folks waiting outside, some of whom camped out the night before to get a spot to see the spectacular show. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025

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