glistening

adjective

glis·​ten·​ing ˈgli-sᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce glistening (audio)
: shining with reflected light
a damp, glistening surface
… a wonderland of glistening, shallow lakes of rainwater …Joseph Judge
The boatman was a tiny man with glistening brown skin and an almost circular mouth.Bruce Chatwin
… contrasting dark surfaces with glistening decorative details.Architectural Digest
Monroe County will always be unique because it is a collection of little tropical islands sprinkled across the glistening waters off the southern tip of the peninsula.George Laycock
glisteningly adverb
The cup across from her was icily clean, glisteningly empty. Sinclair Lewis

Examples of glistening in a Sentence

a glistening marble table top
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Udo Kier is the perverted master of ceremonies in this three-ring circus of deviancy from director Paul Morrissey, which takes Frankenstein’s romantic necrophilia and distills it to its glistening, taboo essence. Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025 Delicate purple, white, or lavender-pink flowers are embedded among tiny, glistening leaves. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025 Ma’s description of enormous, glistening grocery stores could be explained as the musings of a person who longs for stability and plentitude, or of a naive character who thinks of America as a land of boundless riches. Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025 Guests can dine at the on-site Beacon Restaurant, stroll the nearby boardwalk, or unwind by the fire pits as the sun seemingly dips into the glistening lake. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025 While Alberta Ferretti creative director Lorenzo Serafini's runway design featured glistening embellishments and more dramatic draping, the shoppable cape dress does not include an open back at all. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2025 Ye Fan for The New York Times Caroline Palmer was telling the story of how she got hired at Vogue in 2001 when a waitress at Tierney’s Tavern plunked two pints of beer and a pile of glistening onion rings on the table between us. New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Then, the pale, glistening creature emerged from beneath the waves. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025 Next, there was another close-up of her face, showing her skin glistening, as well as her tattoo and the black Rhode pillow. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Glistening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glistening. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

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