glanced; glancing
1
a
: to take a quick look at something
glanced at his watch
b
of the eyes
: to move swiftly from one thing to another
2
: to strike a surface obliquely so as to go off at an angle
The bullet glanced off the wall.
3
a
: to make sudden quick movements
dragonflies glancing over the pond
b
: to flash or gleam with quick intermittent rays of light
brooks glancing in the sun
4
: to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly
The work glances at the customs of ancient cultures.
1
: to give an oblique path of direction to:
a
: to throw or shoot so that the object deflects from a surface
b
archaic
: to aim (something, such as an innuendo) indirectly : insinuate
2
archaic
a
: to take a quick look at
b
: to catch a glimpse of
glancer
noun
Examples of glance in a Sentence
Glancing down, she noticed her shoe was untied.
I glanced at my watch.
He sat quietly, glancing through a magazine.
She glanced up from her book when he entered the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
His perfect parade was broken up by an error in the fourth inning when miscommunication between Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker led to Trea Turner’s fly ball glancing off Tucker’s glove and dropping to the warning track uncaught.
—
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Nail trends—and cursory glances at the ladies in the salon chairs beside us—have shown butter nails are here to stay.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Nursing his beer, the newcomer glanced around the room.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Jansen glanced toward the dugout after the walk, and Hinch removed him from the game.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for glance
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Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Nail trends—and cursory glances at the ladies in the salon chairs beside us—have shown butter nails are here to stay.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Nursing his beer, the newcomer glanced around the room.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
Jansen glanced toward the dugout after the walk, and Hinch removed him from the game.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for glance
Cite this Entry
“Glance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glance. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glance
1 of 2 verb
glanced; glancing
1
: to strike and fly off at an angle
the arrow glanced off the shield
2
: to give a quick or hasty look
glanced at my watch
glanced up from a book
3
glancingly
adverb
ˈglan(t)-siŋ-lē
glance
2 of 2 noun1
: a quick flash or gleam that comes and goes
2
: an impact or blow that is turned aside
3
a
: a swift movement of the eyes
b
: a quick or hasty look
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