often attributive
1
: any of various amorphous materials formed from a melt by cooling to rigidity without crystallization: such as
a
: a usually transparent or translucent material consisting typically of a mixture of silicates
b
: a material (such as obsidian) produced by fast cooling of magma
2
b(1)
: an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen
(2)
: field glasses, binoculars
—usually used in plural
c
glasses plural
: a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place
called also eyeglasses, spectacles
3
: the quantity held by a glass container
4
5
: crystal meth
specifically
: a pure form of crystal meth
glassed; glassing; glasses
1
a
: to provide with glass : glaze sense 1
b
: to enclose, case, or wall with glass
the sunroom was glassed in
2
: to make glassy
3
a
: reflect
b
: to see mirrored
4
: to look at through an optical instrument (such as a pair of binoculars)
Synonyms
Examples of glass in a Sentence
Noun
The waiter filled our glasses with water.
She drank two glasses of water.
She was wearing dark glasses with thick black frames.
Recent Examples on the Web
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024
Milk = 0 grams natural sugar (1 cup) Milk naturally contains sugar from lactose, to the tune of 12 grams of sugar in a typical 8-ounce glass.
—Jessie Shafer, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
Yes, staring directly at the sun without glasses is dangerous, experts say
NASA explained in an April 3 X post that the James Webb Space Telescope would not be capturing photos of the eclipse because of its sensitivity to light and heat.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Their first date was on January 28, 1977, and right away, Rick knocked over a glass of water and bumped his head on a light trying to clean up the mess.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The library advised people against using the eclipse glasses and apologized for the error.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Advertisement For some, those glasses will be bait enough, a MAGA hat to coastal bulls.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Our most refreshing summer drinks are perfect to make in batches and bring down to the beach (with plastic cups, not glass, and bring a trash bag) or stand as the signature cocktail at an outdoor summer party.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2024
The building that housed the Israeli commandos was also pocked by bullet holes and shattered glass.
—Lorenzo Tugnoli, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
The Pirates prefer to glass the offensive glass and score off turnovers, similar to the Longhorns.
—Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Mar. 2023
Kentuckians collect the Kentucky Derby glasses their mint juleps are served in at Churchill Downs and carry them home in stacks.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 24 Apr. 2023
The former traffic cop pushes her tortoiseshell glasses up her nose and surveys her class of property managers and landlords, who have so far failed to match her pep at 9 in the morning.
—Jack Ross, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2023
Our fingers take a little while to get used to glass.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 25 Sep. 2017
Climate activists in Austria on Tuesday attacked a famous painting by artist Gustav Klimt with a black, oily liquid and one then glued himself to glass protecting the painting’s frame.
—Kirsten Grieshaber, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2022
As businesses switch from plastic containers to glass to meet their sustainable packaging goals, competition for bottles is intensifying.
—Carol Ryan, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022
In 1825, the Boston Sandwich Glass Company relocated to Cape Cod because the sand lends itself nicely to glass blowing.
—Lea Lane, Forbes, 6 July 2022
Noun
With that in mind, Shenouda volunteered to clean up glasses at the conference to gain free entry, and traveled over six hours from Cologne to Hamburg by train with a stack of résumés in hand.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024
Milk = 0 grams natural sugar (1 cup) Milk naturally contains sugar from lactose, to the tune of 12 grams of sugar in a typical 8-ounce glass.
—Jessie Shafer, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
Yes, staring directly at the sun without glasses is dangerous, experts say
NASA explained in an April 3 X post that the James Webb Space Telescope would not be capturing photos of the eclipse because of its sensitivity to light and heat.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Their first date was on January 28, 1977, and right away, Rick knocked over a glass of water and bumped his head on a light trying to clean up the mess.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The library advised people against using the eclipse glasses and apologized for the error.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Advertisement For some, those glasses will be bait enough, a MAGA hat to coastal bulls.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Our most refreshing summer drinks are perfect to make in batches and bring down to the beach (with plastic cups, not glass, and bring a trash bag) or stand as the signature cocktail at an outdoor summer party.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2024
The building that housed the Israeli commandos was also pocked by bullet holes and shattered glass.
—Lorenzo Tugnoli, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Verb
So take a day or two off from hunting, drive around, and glass these food sources to find out which ones the deer are really hammering.
—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
The Pirates prefer to glass the offensive glass and score off turnovers, similar to the Longhorns.
—Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 14 Mar. 2023
Kentuckians collect the Kentucky Derby glasses their mint juleps are served in at Churchill Downs and carry them home in stacks.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 24 Apr. 2023
The former traffic cop pushes her tortoiseshell glasses up her nose and surveys her class of property managers and landlords, who have so far failed to match her pep at 9 in the morning.
—Jack Ross, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2023
Our fingers take a little while to get used to glass.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 25 Sep. 2017
Climate activists in Austria on Tuesday attacked a famous painting by artist Gustav Klimt with a black, oily liquid and one then glued himself to glass protecting the painting’s frame.
—Kirsten Grieshaber, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2022
As businesses switch from plastic containers to glass to meet their sustainable packaging goals, competition for bottles is intensifying.
—Carol Ryan, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022
In 1825, the Boston Sandwich Glass Company relocated to Cape Cod because the sand lends itself nicely to glass blowing.
—Lea Lane, Forbes, 6 July 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near glass
Cite this Entry
“Glass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glass. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glass
1 of 2 noun1
: a hard brittle usually transparent substance commonly formed by melting a mixture of sand and chemicals and cooling to hardness
2
a
: something (as a water tumbler, lens, mirror, barometer, or telescope) that is made of glass or has a glass lens
b
plural
: a pair of glass or plastic lenses held in a frame and used to help one see clearly or to protect the eyes
3
: the quantity held by a glass
glass
2 of 2 verb
: to fit or protect with glass
Medical Definition
glass
nounoften attributive
1
a
: an amorphous inorganic usually transparent or translucent substance consisting of a mixture of silicates or sometimes borates or phosphates formed by fusion of silica or of oxides of boron or phosphorus with a flux and a stabilizer into a mass that cools to a rigid condition without crystallization
b
: a substance resembling glass especially in hardness and transparency
organic glasses made from plastics
2
a
: an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen
b
glasses plural
: a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place
called also eyeglasses
Biographical Definition
Glass
2 of 2biographical name (2)
Philip 1937– American composer
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