glow

1 of 2

verb

glowed; glowing; glows

intransitive verb

1
a
: to shine with or as if with an intense heat
embers glowing in the darkness
b(1)
: to have a rich warm typically ruddy color
cheeks glowing with health
(2)
: flush, blush
the children glowed with excitement
2
a
: to experience a sensation of or as if of heat
glowing with rage
b
: to show exuberance or elation
glow with pride

glow

2 of 2

noun

1
: brightness or warmth of color
especially : redness
2
a
: warmth of feeling or emotion
b
: a sensation of warmth
the drug produces a sustained glow
3
a
: the state of glowing with heat and light
b
: light such as is emitted by a solid body heated to luminosity : incandescence

Examples of glow in a Sentence

Verb The coals glowed in the fireplace. The fireplace glowed with the dying coals. This toy glows in the dark. Noun We could see the glow of the lamp in the window. The town's lights cast a glow on the horizon. the rosy glow of health He felt a glow as he remembered the day they first met. Their problems were all forgotten in the glow of victory. She felt the glow from the fireplace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But if storybook romance and the Swiss Alps aren’t happening, the best moisturizer for glowing skin might serve you well. Jenny Berg, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024 This disk whirls around at such a rapid pace that the material within it glows white-hot and ionizes, transforming into a dense plasma roiling with magnetic fields. Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
This sunrise alarm clock gently rouses sleepers by mimicking the glow of dawn. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024 Following her mom’s lead, Richards's daughter Alexia Umansky shared a video on Instagram of her cat in her kitchen—in the background, a warm, amber light casts an autumnal glow. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for glow 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English glōwan; akin to Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near glow

Cite this Entry

“Glow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glow. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

glow

1 of 2 verb
1
: to shine with or as if with great heat : give off light without flame
glowing coals
2
: to have a rich warm usually reddish color
3
: to be or look warm and flushed (as from excitement)
glow with pride

glow

2 of 2 noun
1
: brightness or warmth of color
a rosy glow of health
2
a
: warmth of feeling
b
: a feeling of physical warmth
3
: light such as that given off by something that is very hot but not flaming

More from Merriam-Webster on glow

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