glimpse

1 of 2

verb

ˈglim(p)s 

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

Synonyms of glimpse

Verb

• peek
• glance

Noun

• glance
• peek
• look

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

Uranus Uranus can be glimpsed with the naked eye under very dark skies by keen-eyed observers. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026

In this way, Berlin and New York were linked as though through an imaginary tunnel that gave passage to the hidden or half-glimpsed sexualities that heteropatriarchy silences and obscures. —Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

Noun

Ringed by supporters and passersby who stood several rows deep, phones in the air, to catch a glimpse of the new mayor, Mamdani then acknowledged the weight of the current moment. —Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026

The behind-the-scenes show follows contestants immediately after their elimination from the main competition, while also offering a glimpse into the whimsical fashions and design processes to take the queens from work room to the stage. —Tim Chan, Footwear News, 2 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for glimpse

• chimps
• limps
• pimps
• shrimps

Kids Definition

glimpse

1 of 2 verb

ˈglim(p)s 

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