shine

1 of 2

verb

shone ˈshōn How to pronounce shine (audio)
especially Canadian and British
ˈshän How to pronounce shine (audio)
or shined; shining

intransitive verb

1
: to emit rays of light
2
: to be bright by reflection of light
3
a
: to be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished
shines in math
b
: to perform extremely well
when will stocks really shine again?Temma Ehrenfeld
4
: to have a bright glowing appearance
his face shone with enthusiasm
5
: to be conspicuously evident or clear

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to emit light
b
: to throw or direct the light of
2
past tense and past participle shined : to make bright by polishing
shined his shoes

shine

2 of 2

noun

1
: brightness caused by the emission of light
2
: brightness caused by the reflection of light : luster
the shine of polished silver
3
: brilliance, splendor
still has a shine about her
4
: fair weather : sunshine
rain or shine
5
: trick, caper
usually used in plural
6
: liking, fancy
took a shine to him
7
a
: a polish or gloss given to shoes
b
: a single polishing of a pair of shoes

Examples of shine in a Sentence

Verb The sun was shining through the clouds. lamps shining from the windows She found a sport where she can really shine. Noun the shine of polished silver He had a nice shine on his shoes. Would you like a shine?
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.
Verb
The Page of Cups shines a spotlight for you, calling you to focus on the aspects of your life that light you up this month. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025 Neptune will shine at a magnitude of +7.94, which is fainter than the human eye can detect (typically around +6.5 under dark sky conditions). Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2025
Noun
Wow Dream Coat for humidity-proof shine and a lightweight shine mist to catch the light with every turn. Larry Stansbury, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025 Serum is a leave-in serum designed to nourish, hydrate, detangle and enhance shine for dry hair overnight. Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shine

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English scīnan; akin to Old High German skīnan to shine and perhaps to Greek skia shadow

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shine. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

shine

1 of 2 verb
shone ˈshōn How to pronounce shine (audio) or shined; shining
1
: to give light
the stars shone brightly
2
: to be glossy : gleam
polished the buttons until they shone like gold
3
: to be outstanding : show talent
on stage where I could really shine
4
: to cause to give light
shine a flashlight
5
: to make bright by polishing
shined my shoes

shine

2 of 2 noun
1
: brightness from light given off or reflected
2
: fair weather : sunshine
rain or shine
3
: liking, fancy
took a shine to them
4
: a polish given to shoes

More from Merriam-Webster on shine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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