glance

verb

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\ ˈglan(t)s

glanced; glancing

Definition of glance

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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.

3a : 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.

transitive verb

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

glance

noun

Definition of glance (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a quick or cursory look was good at sizing people up at a glance

b : a swift movement of the eyes

2a : a deflected impact or blow

b archaic : a rapid oblique movement

3a : a quick intermittent flash or gleam

b archaic : a sudden quick movement

4 archaic

a : a brief satirical reference to something : gibe

b : allusion

at first glance

: on first consideration At first glance the subject seems harmless enough.

Other Words from glance Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about glance

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Synonyms for glance

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Examples of glance in a Sentence

Verb 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. Noun He gave me a quick glance over his shoulder. I took a glance at the newspaper this morning.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb What could be more terrifying than to glance through a window and see one’s double standing outside in the street? — John Banville, The New Republic, "The Haunted Imagination of Alfred Hitchcock," 1 Apr. 2021 The drops continued with Diontae Johnson having two passes glance off his hands in the opening quarter. — John Wawrow, orlandosentinel.com, "Host Bills improve to 10-3 with 26-15 victory over sloppy Steelers," 14 Dec. 2020 The drops continued with Diontae Johnson having two passes glance off his hands in the opening quarter. — John Wawrow, orlandosentinel.com, "Host Bills improve to 10-3 with 26-15 victory over sloppy Steelers," 14 Dec. 2020 The drops continued with Diontae Johnson having two passes glance off his hands in the opening quarter. — John Wawrow, orlandosentinel.com, "Host Bills improve to 10-3 with 26-15 victory over sloppy Steelers," 14 Dec. 2020 My daughter now refuses even to glance at a coat on my screen. — Pamela Druckerman, 1843, "What if we’ve forgotten how to socialise?," 26 Feb. 2021 But these minor criticisms glance off Ishiguro’s work like bullets off the hull of a battleship. — Charles Finch, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Kazuo Ishiguro’s new novel is one of his very best," 23 Feb. 2021 As the phony interview concluded, Bartiromo appeared to glance off-camera and quickly cut to a commercial break. — Nora Mishanec, SFChronicle.com, "Fox News fooled by Berkeley animal activist posing as pork CEO," 24 Dec. 2020 So many people use their phones as their navigation systems, and it’s always best to glance at a device that’s properly mounted. — Rob Verger, Popular Science, "Gifts that every car owner should have," 18 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun At a glance, these xenobots might be mistaken for other microscopic aquatic animals — amoebas or plankton or Giardia parasites — swimming here and there with apparent agency. — Quanta Magazine, "Cells Form Into ‘Xenobots’ On Their Own," 31 Mar. 2021 Calls and text notifications are displayed in real-time and viewed at a glance. — Jeff Harper, chicagotribune.com, "Best cheap smartwatches," 29 Mar. 2021 Gophers at a glance: With Wisconsin being upset by Bemidji State and Notre Dame and Michigan out of the tournament because of COVID-19, the Gophers are the only Big Ten team remaining in the field. — Star Tribune, "NCAA West Regional preview: Gophers vs. Nebraska Omaha," 26 Mar. 2021 At a glance, the Alpina B8 doesn’t look all that different from the standard B8 Gran Coupé. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, "The New 612 HP BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupé Is as Powerful as It Is Luxurious," 25 Mar. 2021 Encompassing seven works by six artists (Justine Melford-Colegate has two), the show can be sized up at a glance, like a hand of cards. — Benjamin Lima, Dallas News, "And Now gallery features a talented crop of young artists," 22 Mar. 2021 At a glance, nymphs of aquatic insects don’t look like much—crawling bugs, mostly brown. — Morgan Lyle, Field & Stream, "5 Ultra-Realistic Flies That Can Fool Trout (And Humans, Too)," 18 Mar. 2021 With insights into customers’ likes and preferences, their shopping history at a glance, and the ability to orchestrate their experiences across all channels, brands can better deliver the bespoke experience modern customers demand. — Brad Birnbaum, Forbes, "In The Race To Retail Dominance, Customer Service Changes The Game," 2 Mar. 2021 Pepe’s family cooked a occhio, guessing at a glance. — Francesco Lastrucci, Smithsonian Magazine, "Inside Naples’ World-Famous Pizza Culture," 20 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.