glossy

adjective \ ˈglä-sē , ˈglȯ- \

Updated on: 20 May 2018

Definition of glossy

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

play \ˈglä-sə-lē, ˈglȯ-\ adverb

—

glossiness

play \ˈglä-sē-nəs, ˈglȯ-\ noun

See glossy defined for English-language learners

See glossy defined for kids

Examples of glossy in a Sentence

a plant with glossy green leaves
the glossy finish on the gym floor

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

As Ayoze Perez tapped home Newcastle United's third against Chelsea on Sunday - rubber stamping the former champions' miserable day - the camera panned across to a man in a glossy tracksuit.

— SI.com, "Exploring the Demise of Antonio Conte: From Chelsea's Enigmatic Leader to Despondent Passenger," 16 May 2018
Locke the glossy belletrist gave way to Locke the fellow-traveller, Locke the savvy champion of proletarian realism.

— tobi haslett, The New Yorker, "The Man Who Led the Harlem Renaissance—and His Hidden Hungers," 11 May 2018
The glossy 1949 version, from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, offered June Allyson as Jo, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy, Janet Leigh as Meg and Margaret O’Brien as Beth.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'Little Women': PBS honors a classic," 10 May 2018
There was coverage in glossy magazines and on TV—60 Minutes and Oprah fell for it the ward.

— ryan smith, Chicago Reader, "News / Paranormal / Religion Chicago police ‘satanic panic’ document from the 80s goes viral," 8 May 2018
Its glossy silver engine was exposed in the back instead of hidden under the hood.

— mará rose williams, kansascity, "How did this old school bus win a Hot Wheels competition? It's the story behind it | The Kansas City Star," 5 May 2018
Racks displaying the magazine's glossy cover acted as bookends to a row of chairs awaiting guest panelists ranging from activists and social workers to writers and attorneys.

— sara teal, latimes.com, "Student-run InSight Magazine explores poverty and inequality in Southern California," 3 May 2018
Some pieces are glossy and some matte; some have subtle lines, like a food service–inspired Agnes Martin.

— howie kahn, WSJ, "A Hotel 30 Miles Outside Paris Where Equestrian Life Sets the Tone," 25 Apr. 2018
According to Bowman, the lipstick look for spring is glossy.

— elizabeth wellington, Philly.com, "From jail to celebrity makeup artist, Jacen Bowman is keeping Black Radiance relevant | Elizabeth Wellington," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glossy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of glossy

1556

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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glossy Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Paper Terms

folio, palimpsest, quire, ream

glossy

noun

Definition of glossy

plural glossies

1 : a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper

2 chiefly British : slick 5

See glossy defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

These were short pieces — the 500-worders that are such a staple of the glossies.

— eva holland, Longreads, "The Writers’ Roundtable: Fiction vs. Nonfiction," 2 Apr. 2018
Pratibha Mirchandani came up in the glossies at the same time and rate as Janice Johns.

— miles marshall lewis, The Root, "(What Did I Do to Get So) Black and Blue," 18 Mar. 2018
Television appearances and bylines in glossies earned her feverish press attention in the aftermath of the royal wedding.

— kate storey, Town & Country, "The Real Reason Pippa Middleton Has Disappeared From the Spotlight," 5 Feb. 2018
Lanphear will be responsible for overseeing the Hearst glossy's fashion shoots and creative design of the fashion pages.

— stephanie chan, The Hollywood Reporter, "Kate Lanphear Named Marie Claire's Creative Director," 16 Oct. 2017
But from the boob tube to the big screen to the glossies to the Big Leagues, the fault lies not with Mother Nature or the entertainment industry’s consumers — but with the fatally self-absorbed, politically toxified stars themselves.

— michelle malkin, National Review, "Show Biz Meltdown: Bombs Away!," 20 Sep. 2017
By the ’60s, the fashion glossies were awash in modern mermaids.

— laura jacobs, WSJ, "‘Expedition: Fashion From the Extreme’ Review: Survival Couture," 19 Sep. 2017
Your autographed Peter King 8x10 glossies are in the mail.

— the mmqb staff, SI.com, "The MMQB Power Rankings Poll, Week 2: Packers, Chiefs and a Tight Vote for the Top Spot," 12 Sep. 2017
Ten years ago, Henderson founded Harlem's Fashion Row, a production company aimed at supporting multicultural designers who were absent from the top fashion weeks, the store racks at influential retail outlets and the pages of mainstream glossies.

— robin givhan, chicagotribune.com, "Fashion is finally figuring out diversity - in ways that actually matter," 7 Sep. 2017

First Known Use of glossy

1928

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Pictures (on film) Terms

daguerreotype, emulsion, fill, sepia, still, stop

GLOSSY Defined for English Language Learners

glossy

adjective

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

: having a shiny, smooth surface

glossy

noun

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

: a photograph with a shiny surface
: a popular magazine that is printed on smooth and shiny paper

GLOSSY Defined for Kids

glossy

adjective \ ˈglä-sē , ˈglȯ- \

Definition of glossy for Students

glossier; glossiest

: having a shiny, smooth surface

glossy paint

Learn More about glossy

See words that rhyme with glossy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for glossy Spanish Central: Translation of glossy Nglish: Translation of glossy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of glossy for Arabic speakers

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glossy

Definition of glossy

glossily

glossiness

Examples of glossy in a Sentence

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

First Known Use of glossy

glossy Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of glossy

Other Paper Terms

glossy

Definition of glossy

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

First Known Use of glossy

Other Pictures (on film) Terms

GLOSSY Defined for English Language Learners

glossy

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

glossy

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

GLOSSY Defined for Kids

glossy

Definition of glossy for Students

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