glare

verb \ ˈgler \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of glare

glared; glaring

intransitive verb

1 a : to shine with a harsh uncomfortably brilliant light

b : stand out, obtrude

2 : to stare angrily or fiercely

glared at me with rage and hate

transitive verb

1 : to express (something, such as hostility) by staring angrily

glared defiance at each other

2 archaic : to cause to be sharply reflected

See glare defined for English-language learners

See glare defined for kids

Examples of glare in a Sentence

The sun glared down relentlessly.
The white snow glared in the morning sunlight.
The teacher glared at him as he walked in late.

Recent Examples of glare from the Web

There’s one glaring inaccuracy in the 2018 Cincinnati Reds media guide.

— adam baum, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jared Hughes: 'I feel like everywhere I play I make friends'," 6 Apr. 2018
To gather news for TV required journalists to be on the ground, with cameras and glaring lights.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "When the Revolution Was Televised," 1 Apr. 2018
But in worrying signs for Klopp, the visitors' brittle defence was only bailed out by two glaring misses from Christian Benteke.

— kieran canning, chicagotribune.com, "Salah rescues Liverpool in late win at Palace," 31 Mar. 2018
Cruz walked down the hallway wearing a glaring white sweatshirt, eyeing me suspiciously.

— sarah betancourt, Longreads, "The Religion No One Talks About: My Search For Answers in an Old Caribbean Faith," 30 Mar. 2018
Miller was glaring right from the start, but before his infamous scowl could crack its first molar, Massinburg hit another 3 from the corner, and UA was down 6-2.

— greg moore, azcentral, "Moore: Arizona's shocking loss leaves everyone with questions," 15 Mar. 2018
There are still glaring needs at running back and defensive tackle.

— jamie samuelsen, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions' free agency moves show Bob Quinn's consistent approach," 15 Mar. 2018
In that game, Grace pitched the ninth inning and did his famous Mike Fetters impersonation by quickly craning his neck and glaring toward home plate with a grimacing scowl.

— bob mcmanaman, azcentral, "Arizona Diamondbacks Chapter 1: Great Expectations 1998-2002," 25 Mar. 2018
In another example of glaring discrepancies, a 2016 study by Robert Criss of Washington University in Saint Louis found current estimates of 100-year-flood elevations could be off by as much as 6.6 feetin parts of the Upper Mississippi River.

— jen schwartz, Scientific American, "National Flood Insurance Is Underwater Because of Outdated Science," 23 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of glare

Middle English glaren; akin to Old English glæs glass

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

glare Synonyms

Phrases

look daggers (or stare daggers);

glare

noun

Definition of glare

1 a : a harsh uncomfortably bright light

the glare of a neon sign

the glare of publicity

; especially : painfully bright sunlight

b : cheap showy brilliance : garishness

enjoyed the glitter and glare of the city's nightlife

2 : an angry or fierce stare

3 : a surface or sheet of smooth and slippery ice

See glare defined for English-language learners

Examples of glare in a Sentence

There was a glare coming off the water.
I was blinded by the glare of the approaching headlights.
I shielded my eyes from the glare of the sun.
The car's headlights are designed to cut down on glare.
She responded to the reporters' questions with an angry glare.

Recent Examples of glare from the Web

From Bad Boy would-be star Shyne to battle rap casualty Canibus, the glare of the spotlight can burn some careers to a crisp.

— stereo williams, Billboard, "The 10 Most-Anticipated Debut Albums in Hip-Hop History," 5 Apr. 2018
And their growing representation is especially noticeable in the universe of high-growth tech startups, where rapid growth, high financial stakes, and the glare of publicity give the role extra heft.

— leigh gallagher, Fortune, "These Women Could Be the Tech Industry's Next Great CEOs," 21 Mar. 2018
DRLs are on when the vehicle is running with the headlights turned off, making the vehicle more visible during the day, while front fog lights minimize glare and improve visibility in adverse driving conditions.

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram, "Buick’s Cascada convertible has room for up to four people, starts at $33,065 | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 17 Mar. 2018
But with photographers stationed to capture every last moment of their meeting, Macron happened to emit a piercing glare in the direction of the flashbulbs at the exact time of their embrace.

— raisa bruner, Time, "This Photo of Emmanuel Macron Hugging India's Modi Gets the Royal Meme Treatment," 12 Mar. 2018
Flip a switch on a smartphone app, and those substances gradually darken or lighten as desired, to allow just the right amount of light into a room without glare and without erasing the view.

— mayumi negishi, WSJ, "Office Windows Get Smart," 11 Mar. 2018
The electioneering resolution was intended to protect voters from small town intimidation and the menacing glares of opposing candidates, Escobar explained.

— aaron nelsen, San Antonio Express-News, "Federal judge temporarily blocks Starr County electioneering ban, but only in certain areas," 1 Mar. 2018
Marquee names take over Remington after Florida massacre Financial maneuvers ahead will happen under spotlight’s glareStephen A. Feinberg spent the past decade building America’s leading firearms empire.

— eliza ronalds-hannon, Bloomberg.com, "Cerberus Hands Bankrupt Gunmaker to Wall Street Creditors," 27 Feb. 2018
Stranger things have gone down thanks to the glare of March.

— jeremy woo, SI.com, "NBA Draft Stock Watch: Who is Rising and Falling After the First Weekend of March Madness?," 19 Mar. 2018