sheen

1 of 3

adjective

ˈshēn

archaic : beautiful

archaic : shining, resplendent

sheen

2 of 3

verb

sheened; sheening; sheens

intransitive verb

: to be bright : show a sheen

sheen

3 of 3

noun

: a bright or shining condition : brightness

: a subdued glitter approaching but short of optical reflection

: a lustrous surface imparted to textiles through finishing processes or use of shiny yarns

: a textile exhibiting notable sheen

sheeny

ˈshē-nē

adjective

Example Sentences

Noun Her hair has a sheen to it. polished the metal until it had an even sheen

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The impact resistant lenses can stand up to wildest show with UV protection and polarized lenses to further protect your peepers, and the ultra-sheen design, available in 5 colors, is guaranteed to steal the spotlight.

Brandon Schultz, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022 Note that flat-sheen paint works best to replicate the look of unglazed encaustic or cement tile.

Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2021 My Sheets Rock The Regulator $169.00 Bamboo Twill Sheets Made from bamboo twill, these breathable sheets have the softness of rayon with a sheen finish.

Lauren Levy, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2021

Verb

Boaters off Orange County and residents of Newport Beach started reporting a petroleum smell in the air and oily sheen on the water Friday afternoon, Oct. 1.

Christopher Weber, ajc, 8 Oct. 2021 But old pennies have a nice copper sheen all the way through.

Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, 18 Jan. 2021 This diner digs their seasoning: bacon, thyme, red vinegar and a finishing touch of butter to give the beans sheen.

Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2020

Noun

Like the rest of the soundtrack, this song has an exaggerated, over-the-top sheen, the doo-whop days reinterpreted.

Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2022 Its Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm is the perfect summer lippie, thanks to a cool gel-oil formula that leaves a luxurious, hydrating sheen on your lips.

Sarah Han, Allure, 30 June 2022 Emanating a deep blue-and-purple sheen (which fittingly matched her glam), the dress featured a mock turtleneck and flared long sleeves.

Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Apr. 2022 Renninger said oil sheen, which is nonrecoverable, could be seen downstream on Todd Fork, which feeds into the Little Miami River.

Brook Endale, The Enquirer, 9 Mar. 2022 Berrow took up ceramics in early 2020 while on lockdown at her mother’s house in Dorset; her mother, Miranda, is also a ceramist, so Berrow availed herself of her earthenware, kiln and high-sheen glazes.

New York Times, 16 Feb. 2022 Written by a privileged class and published by massive corporations, carrying the sheen of elite schools, expensive writing programs, and a small coterie of agents and editors, these books have little to offer in the way of edge.

Siddhartha Deb, The New Republic, 28 Jan. 2022 In the exhibit, the gold sheen of artifacts — replicas created by artisans who practice the same craftsmanship of the originals — shimmer under spotlights, and videos of ancient ruins are projected onto the walls.

Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 17 Jan. 2022 The high-gloss sheen and glamour of those movies, with their spectacular international locales and operatic action, prove harder to replicate here.

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2022 See More

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