glittering

adjective

glit·​ter·​ing ˈgli-tə-riŋ 

1

a

: shining with many bright points of light

Every few days a little glittering aeroplane appeared in the sky among the clouds and the circling hawks.

—Doris Lessing

And where the water had been trickling over and spurting through the dam there was now a glittering wall of icicles …

—C. S. Lewis

b

: shining with strong emotion

… after being misdirected almost consistently, she goes out in glory, with glittering eyes and a lewd smile.

—Pauline Kael

2

: brilliantly or showily impressive : dazzling

a glittering career

… the company today caters a glittering array of premiere social and corporate galas, from Poughkeepsie to Palm Beach.

—Robert Masello

also : superficially attractive or exciting

… they left behind the glittering social life of Orlando …

—Douglas Frantz et al.

glitteringly

ˈgli-tə-riŋ-lē 

adverb

His libretto is very bare, a skeleton of short, clear phrases on to which he has grafted slivers of music glitteringly alive thanks to his fine ear for sound.

—Richard Fairman

Examples of glittering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, Hansi Flick’s friendly approach at Bayern Munich and Barcelona has delivered glittering success. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

This dark, sensual, glittering tale explores a world dancing on the edge and the joyful defiance of the characters who inhabit it. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 June 2025

Set high above the Neponset River, 85 Forbes Road in Milton is a glittering contemporary masterpiece that brings luxury and comfort into perfect balance. —Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025

Just before taking the stage in a glittering red gown, the Wicked star — who made her hosting debut at this year’s ceremony — ran into Winfrey, who gave her some sage advice. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for glittering

• littering
• skittering
• twittering