gleam

noun \ ˈglēm \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: gleam in a Sentence

Definition of gleam

1 a : a transient appearance of subdued or partly obscured light

the gleam of dawn in the east

b (1) : a small bright light

the gleam of a match

(2) : glint

a gleam in his eyes

2 : a brief or faint appearance

a gleam of hope

—

gleamy

play \ˈglē-mē\ adjective

See gleam defined for English-language learners

See gleam defined for kids

Examples of gleam in a Sentence

He saw the gleam of a flashlight in the distance.
the rich gleam of the polished wood

Recent Examples of gleam from the Web

Diamond’s new gleam A new prism into Gates’ durability are Henry’s injury detours.

— tom krasovic, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Chargers would be lucky to bring back Antonio Gates," 24 May 2018
In effect, before Internet.org was even a gleam in Zuckerberg’s eye, Facebook had already undermined their core business.

— jessi hempel, WIRED, "What Happened to Facebook's Grand Plan to Wire the World?," 17 May 2018
The film is too laden with its own riches, a festival jewel that glares instead of gleams.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem Kick Off Cannes with Gloomy Melodrama," 9 May 2018
But like other popular groups such as The 1975 or '90s Scottish band, Geneva, their sound has enough fractures and chips in its gleam to allow for some raw edge.

— taylor glasby, Teen Vogue, "The K-Pop Beginner's Guide: BTS, Girls' Generation, and More," 23 May 2018
Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island gleams in promotional photographs.

— david kenner, The Atlantic, "The Selective Westernization of NYU's Abu Dhabi Campus," 10 May 2018
Buildings in downtown Columbia gleam with broad windows that allow in natural light and shine from the outside.

— christina tkacik, Howard County Times, "As Howard County glass buildings kill birds, local groups aim to save avian lives," 3 May 2018
But today, its iconic gleam is the beacon by which the guests, who start arriving around midafternoon, find the event.

— leilani marie labong, San Francisco Chronicle, "Start a tradition with a Bodega beach clambake," 11 May 2018
Karen's love of life was revealed by the gleam in her eyes, and the smile on her face, whether traveling with family, walking the dogs, or spending time with her husband Brian and her boys.

— courant.com, "Karen Buckley," 30 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of gleam

Middle English gleem, from Old English glǣm; akin to Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

gleam Synonyms

Synonyms

blaze, flare, fluorescence, glare, glow, illumination, incandescence, light, luminescence, radiance, shine;

Near Antonyms

blackness, dark, darkness, dimness, dusk, duskiness, gloom, night, shadow;

daylight, moonlight, sunlight, sunshine;

afterglow, aureole (or aureola), aurora, beam, halo, ray, shaft, streak, stream, sunbeam;

glisten, gloss, luster (or lustre), polish, reflection, sheen;

gleam

verb

Definition of gleam

gleamed; gleaming; gleams

intransitive verb

1 : to shine with or as if with subdued steady light or moderate brightness

2 : to appear briefly or faintly

a light gleamed in the distance

transitive verb

: to cause to gleam

See gleam defined for English-language learners

Examples of gleam in a Sentence

The sun gleamed on the water.
His eyes were gleaming with delight.

Recent Examples of gleam from the Web

Their faces adorn Montevideo’s football museum, along with a century’s worth of tattered shirts and gleaming trophies.

— The Economist, "What makes a country good at football?," 9 June 2018
Late in the third period, after the Capitals had taken a 4-3 lead, Phil Pritchard polished it until the silver gleamed.

— adam kilgore, chicagotribune.com, "What happened in Vegas: All night with the Capitals and the Stanley Cup," 8 June 2018
The Big Mac maker opened its gleaming new headquarters in Chicago Monday, housing 2,000 employees on the former grounds of Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios.

— josh hafner, USA TODAY, "You buy more from a kiosk than a person, McDonald's says. So expect a lot more kiosks.," 7 June 2018
The mailroom at Manhattan’s Sky rental building, where rows of mailboxes are topped with gleaming bronze panels, served as the setting for a recent Haute Living Magazine photo shoot with Kristaps Porziņģis, an NBA player and building resident.

— candace taylor, WSJ, "Inside the High-End Mailrooms Wealthy Residents Visit When They’ve Got Mail," 7 June 2018
Once the site of old industrial buildings, the neighborhood features gleaming new office buildings, such as one on Binney Street that will soon house Bristol-Myers Squibb’s new research and development site and several smaller biotechs.

— jonathan saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "The world of biotech will be focused on Boston next week," 1 June 2018
The announcement on Copeland's website showed him wearing a bomber jacket in front of a gleaming white plane.

— washington post, latimes.com, "Televangelist wants his followers to pay for a $54-million private jet. It would be his fourth plane," 30 May 2018
Even before Sempra Energy left its longtime leased headquarters in downtown San Diego for gleaming new office space near Petco Park, building owner Sandor Shapery thought the Ash Street property would make a fine City Hall.

— jeff mcdonald, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Seller proposed Ash Street tower as a new City Hall, and Faulconer aides never told the City Council," 28 May 2018
The gleaming Petronas Towers, then the world’s tallest building, were erected as symbol of the nation’s ascendance.

— laignee barron / kedah, Time, "Mahathir Mohamad’s Last Stand: Malaysia's Aging Strongman Seeks to Unseat His Protégé," 8 May 2018

First Known Use of gleam

1508

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

gleam Synonyms

Synonyms

coruscate, flame, flash, glance, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, glitter, luster (or lustre), scintillate, shimmer, spangle, sparkle, twinkle, wink, winkle;

Related Words

beam, radiate, shine;

bedazzle, blind, daze, dazzle;

blaze, burn, flare, glare, glow;

Synonym Discussion of gleam

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light. flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

- lightning flashed

gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

- lights gleamed in the valley

glint implies a cold glancing light.

- glinting steel

sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

- the sparkling waters

glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

- glittering diamonds

glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

- glistening wet sidewalk

glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

- a distant glimmering light

shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

- a shimmering satin dress

GLEAM Defined for English Language Learners

gleam

noun

Definition of gleam for English Language Learners

: a small, bright light
: a bright or shining quality
: a small amount or sign of something

gleam

verb

Definition of gleam for English Language Learners

: to shine brightly

GLEAM Defined for Kids

gleam

noun \ ˈglēm \

Definition of gleam for Students

1 : a faint, soft, or reflected light

the first gleam of dawn

2 : a bright or shining look

She had a gleam in her eyes.

3 : a short or slight appearance

a gleam of hope

gleam

verb

Definition of gleam for Students

gleamed; gleaming

1 : to shine with a soft light

2 : to give out gleams of light

Synonym Discussion of gleam

gleam, sparkle, and glitter mean to send forth light. gleam is used when light shines through something else or is reflected or shines against a dark background.