glimpse

1 of 2

verb

glimpsed; glimpsing

transitive verb

: to get a brief look at
glimpsed him as he sped by in his car

intransitive verb

1
: to look briefly
glimpsed at the letter and then threw it aside
2
archaic : glimmer
glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2

noun

1
: a fleeting view or look
caught only a glimpse of the mugger
2
archaic : glimmer

Examples of glimpse in a Sentence

Verb We glimpsed him through the window as his car sped past. just glimpsed at the photo then turned his attention elsewhere Noun We caught a glimpse of him through the window as his car sped past. I only got a glimpse of him as we drove by.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But the force of Fritzi’s turnabout comes largely from seeing her being bullied into it throughout the movie; Glenn’s inner diva is glimpsed only once before his breakout moment, so the breakout comes off more like a stunt than like the completion of a character arc. Dan Stahl, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2023 Over the next few years, the world glimpsed into Peele and Peretti's budding romance through their sweet (and rare) social media posts. Emily St. Martin, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023 In one home, traces of its former inhabitants could be glimpsed in the ruins of a second-floor ceiling: velveteen blankets, suitcases, rugs, a sagging mattress. Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2023 Hundreds of wedding crashers showed up at Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley’s nuptials over the weekend in hopes of glimpsing one of the couple’s esteemed guests: Taylor Swift. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023 The depth of the crisis can be glimpsed in supermarket aisles and convenience stories, where shelves are full of pre-packaged meals catering to one, or in the streets full of tiny apartments tailor-made for single life, Raymo added. Chris Lau, CNN, 2 Sep. 2023 That all of this stems from a childhood trauma glimpsed in an opening flashback might be clichéd, but Smith and Stanley satisfyingly unravel that particular narrative knot with help from Weil’s moving performance. Michael Nordine, Variety, 2 Aug. 2023 People in at least 17 states may have a chance this week to glimpse the northern lights, which are typically seen in Earth’s northernmost regions. Vivian La, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2023 To see one's face among the grid of screenshots is to glimpse an underlying continuity between online and off, to envision the self as the bridge spanning this existential chasm—and perhaps extending into eternity. Meghan O'Gieblyn, WIRED, 16 Aug. 2023
Noun
Fans can get a glimpse of the renovation process for the Gaines’ new venture when Fixer Upper: The Hotel premieres in November on the Magnolia Network. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 Each ceremony provides a small glimpse into people’s private lives, and the wedding-chapel workers have seen the gamut. Meg Bernhard, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2023 This week, Austin was the place to be for those wanting a glimpse of some of the biggest names in music and professional basketball. Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2023 The international version will also include a brief glimpse into Coco’s disastrous time in Hollywood. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2023 The occasional glimpses of R&B and rap royalty (Keyshia Cole, Fat Joe and Ashanti, to name a few)? Bethonie Butler, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023 Alarcon said, however, that Tuesday was probably the last day to get a glimpse in the morning and that evenings were now the best bet. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 State media also aired a documentary showing rare glimpses of Kim in a more relaxed state – sitting in his office on the train in a short-sleeved white shirt, smoking a cigarette while talking to officials, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 12 Sep. 2023 It was supposed to be this glimpse of her alone in the hotel room. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glimpse.' 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 glimsen; akin to Middle High German glimsen to glimmer, Old English glǣm gleam

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Noun

circa 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glimpse was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near glimpse

Cite this Entry

“Glimpse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glimpse. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

glimpse

1 of 2 verb
glimpsed; glimpsing
: to take a brief look : see momentarily or incompletely
glimpsed the deer running
glimpser noun

glimpse

2 of 2 noun
: a short hurried view
catch a glimpse of something rushing by

More from Merriam-Webster on glimpse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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