glare

1 of 2

verb

glared; glaring

intransitive verb

1
a
: to shine with a harsh uncomfortably brilliant light
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

glare

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples of glare in a Sentence

Verb The sun glared down relentlessly. The white snow glared in the morning sunlight. The teacher glared at him as he walked in late. Noun 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 on the Web
Verb
These figures highlight a glaring disparity and emphasize the urgency for actionable solutions. Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 While Black history would be best included in the history of the United States and the world, the glaring and deliberate omissions have constantly led to the revelation of some aspect of Black history that will still seem new to some. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2024 But these changes were obscured by one glaring fact: The Russian military was still far more willing to absorb big losses in troops and equipment, even to make small gains. Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The lack of diversity in decision-making positions within the entertainment industry is a glaring issue. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Feb. 2024 The coronavirus pandemic shined a light on that glaring reality, as working mothers left the workforce at a higher rate than other employees. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 While Chapman had a subpar platform year at the plate, his absence would be palpable with the Blue Jays – and either of these teams failing to add him would leave glaring holes. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024 One glaring difference at Stark from other tech startups is that employees are expected to be in the office five days a week. Daniel Cancel, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2024 But the telecom company Magyar Telekom is one glaring exception. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 Feb. 2024
Noun
The brief was for a more shock-proof and temperature-resistant watch for use on lunar expeditions and EVA (extravehicular activities), or spacewalks—temperatures could reach 120°C (248°F) in the direct glare of the sun. Chris Hall, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024 In February and March, the direct sunlight can be dazzling, something that is enhanced by the glare from the snow, and sunburn is absolutely possible. David Nikel, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Blinded by the sun's glare radiating off the snow, the group made its way to what's known as a SNOTEL site, where SRP collects information about weather and snow. Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 Diffuse the light: To eliminate glare and harsh highlights in the garden, Reiners softens direct sunlight with a homemade diffuser – a wire coat hanger bent into a square, with a white plastic grocery bag stretched over the wire frame. Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 Meghan has rarely strayed from this combination during her time in the glare of the global spotlight, whether on a primary school visit or at a palace. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024 There's still concern about the screen potentially having a distracting crease that catches glare and reflections. Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2024 When Taylor Swift shot this year’s Golden Globes host Jo Koy an icy glare following a quip during his opening show monologue, fans online rallied behind the superstar. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 9 Jan. 2024 It is built around Leupold’s Advanced Optical System, which offers excellent light transmission, best-in-class glare reduction in harsh light, and the resolution and clarity that shooters demand. T. Logan Metesh, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English glaren; akin to Old English glæs glass

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glare was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near glare

Cite this Entry

“Glare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glare. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glare

verb
ˈgla(ə)r,
ˈgle(ə)r
glared; glaring
1
a
: to shine with a harsh uncomfortably brilliant light
b
: to stand out annoyingly
2
: to stare angrily or fiercely
glare noun
glary
ˈgla(ə)r-ē
ˈgle(ə)r-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on glare

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