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
1
a
: a quick or cursory look
was good at sizing people up at a glance
b
: a swift movement of the eyes
2
a
: a deflected impact or blow
b
archaic
: a rapid oblique movement
3
a
: a quick intermittent flash or gleam
b
archaic
: a sudden quick movement
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
Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2025
The storm of 1994: Here's how the blizzard led to better snow response
Confident at first, Meredith kept glancing at her watch.
—Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
At first glance, the idea of zoning seems reasonable enough: Factories that emit toxic pollutants should probably be kept away from residential areas, for example.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for glance
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Verb
The luxury vehicle glanced off another car, spun around, and turned over in a ditch.
—Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2025
The storm of 1994: Here's how the blizzard led to better snow response
Confident at first, Meredith kept glancing at her watch.
—Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Noun
At first glance, the 4.92 runs per game the Red Sox have scored places them along the MLB elite, ranking sixth overall.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
At first glance, the idea of zoning seems reasonable enough: Factories that emit toxic pollutants should probably be kept away from residential areas, for example.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for glance
Cite this Entry
“Glance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glance. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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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