shiny

1 of 2

adjective

ˈshī-nē 

shinier; shiniest

1

: having a smooth glossy surface

shiny new shoes

2

a

: bright with the rays of the sun : sunshiny

b

: filled with light

3

: rubbed or worn smooth

4

: lustrous with natural secretions

a shiny nose

shininess noun

shininess

2 of 2

noun

shin·​i·​ness

ˈshīnēnə̇s, 

-īnin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being shiny

hard days … have taken off the shininess of youth

—Mary Deasy

Synonyms of shiny

Adjective

• shining
• glowing
• luminous
• bright
• dazzling
• gleaming
• radiant
• shimmering
• brilliant
• lustrous

Examples of shiny in a Sentence

Adjective

we could see our reflections in the shiny surface of the marble walls

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Throwing some shiny jewelry into the mix doesn’t hurt, either. — Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 18 July 2026

Argentina’s on to the final against Spain, the English are crying into a big ol’ bowl of mashed peas, and our big shiny stadium can once again promote a luxury German automaker. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 18 July 2026

Resplendent in a dark top and flowered scarves, Jackie has his hair ratted out, creating a kind of nimbus around his poignant, ready-to-laugh face, which is powdered white, with shiny, metallic-looking paillettes around the eyes. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

Letting the shiny, crinkled outfit speak for itself, Zendaya kept her accessories to a minimum. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1558, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shiny

• briny
• piney
• spiny
• tiny
• sunshiny

Kids Definition

shiny

adjective

ˈshī-nē 

shinier; shiniest

: having a smooth glossy surface

a shiny new car