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

Now, revisit some of the most glittering diadems worn by Queen Mary, which later became favorites of the late Queen Elizabeth II. — Natasha Leake, Vanity Fair, 2 June 2026

In Silva, though, Manchester City is losing someone who embodies the most glittering period of success in the club’s entire history. — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026

The fashion is already as glittering as ever, with jury member Demi Moore, along with fellow actors Jane Fonda and Maika Monroe all arriving for opening night dripping in sequins. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 13 May 2026

Ballroom culture infuses all aspects of the show, including a parade of costumes, ranging from contemporary neon getups to sumptuous evening gowns and glittering headdresses. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for glittering

• littering
• skittering
• twittering