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

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

Located on West 28th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, the 10-story building has more than 100,000 square feet and an eye-catching glass façade so that passersby can glimpse FIT in action. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025

After the show, Bella gave fans glimpse inside her and Gigi's relatable way of unwinding. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025

Noun

For those drawn to the idea of other planets, MARS-V promises a glimpse of a Martian future. —Rosanna Philpott, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025

With breathtaking cinematography and subtle sound design viewers are given a glimpse into a world visited by very few people. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025

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