glossy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈglä-sē How to pronounce glossy (audio)
ˈglȯ-
glossier; glossiest
1
: having a surface luster or brightness
rich glossy leather
glossy paper
2
: attractive in an artificially opulent, sophisticated, or smoothly captivating manner : slick
lots of glossy and phony chatter
glossily adverb
glossiness noun

glossy

2 of 2

noun

plural glossies
1
: a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper
2
chiefly British : slick sense 5
Choose the Right Synonym for glossy

sleek, slick, glossy mean having a smooth bright surface or appearance.

sleek suggests a smoothness or brightness resulting from attentive grooming or physical conditioning.

a sleek racehorse

slick suggests extreme smoothness that results in a slippery surface.

slipped and fell on the slick floor

glossy suggests a highly reflective surface.

photographs having a glossy finish

Examples of glossy in a Sentence

Adjective a plant with glossy green leaves the glossy finish on the gym floor
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.
Adjective
Fox’s lips were painted in a gray-nude glossy shade, a neutral choice to complement her pale, even-toned base. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 July 2025 The New York Post covered the killer’s trial gavel to gavel, while glossy magazines wrote about how not to let this happen to you. Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2025
Noun
But with Wintour having announced the creation of a new position to head editorial at U.S. Vogue, , curiosity is growing over what's next for the esteemed fashion magazine and who will be chosen to lead the glossy after almost four decades of Wintour shaping its vision. A Martínez, NPR, 27 June 2025 The tongue-in-cheek, thumb-in-the-eye attitude extends through to the exhibition catalogue, printed to resemble a mid-market glossy with too many cover lines, and a fake ad for a Balenciaga watch, bearing a caseback instead of the time. Miles Socha, Footwear News, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for glossy

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

gloss entry 1 + -y entry 1

Noun

derivative of glossy entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glossy was in 1556

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Cite this Entry

“Glossy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glossy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

glossy

adjective
ˈgläs-ē,
ˈglȯs-
glossier; glossiest
: having a surface luster or brightness
glossiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on glossy

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