as in glowing
giving off or reflecting much light
the shining moon formed a nice backdrop for our outdoor concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in beaming
to emit rays of light
the sun appears to shine particularly brightly in summer because that is when it's closest to the Earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the salesman shined his shoes every morning before leaving the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shining
Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Eloise's shining moment comes in Quinn's To Sir Phillip, With Love, and follows her love story with Sir Phillip Crane—yes, that Phillip, who married his late brother's true love Marina Thompson.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The shining light, minus the hill.
—Tracy Baim, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shining
Adjective
The Boston Celtics, in second place in the East without Jayson Tatum this year and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis traded away, are another shining example.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Eloise's shining moment comes in Quinn's To Sir Phillip, With Love, and follows her love story with Sir Phillip Crane—yes, that Phillip, who married his late brother's true love Marina Thompson.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Shinery takes your jewelry from dirty and dull to sparkling and shining.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The shining light, minus the hill.
—Tracy Baim, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shining
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shining
Adjective
-
At this point, my relationship with glowing rectangles is stronger than most of my Hinge dates.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The glowing hose creates a visible path that helps rescuers navigate thick smoke and find their way back to safety.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While beaming, Auriemma danced while surrounded by his players.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Baumler was beaming as the huddle broke.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After 10 to 20 passes, repeat the same process on the ceramic polishing rods, if the sharpener has them.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The program acts almost like a navigation map for individuals intent on entering the sector, from polishing resumes to grasping industry dynamics.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Depending on the light, the surface seems to shift, at times appearing almost luminous, at others dissolving into shadow.—
Olga Garcia-Mayoral,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The northern lights are a luminous glow seen around the magnetic poles of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His beans are on the menus of many top Bay Area restaurants, and a gleaming flagship store that opened in downtown Napa last week could be seen as a culmination of his 25 years of influence.—
Tara Duggan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But the approach matters more than most people realize, and getting the timing, tools and technique right can mean the difference between gleaming glass and a frustrating mess of streaks and residue.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
My hands are almost rubbing [the ground] sometimes.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The slightly higher cut helps prevent sneakers from rubbing your ankle or the top of your foot.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Currently, the planet appears practically full (93% sunlit); a tiny, dazzling gibbous disk.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Even though many of Meghan's recent appearances have shown off her gorgeous casual style, her red carpet appearances are still just as dazzling.—
Katherine J Igoe,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That distinction falls to Becky Shaw (Madeline Brewer), an office worker whom Max is set up with by Suzanna and her sweet but dull husband Andrew (Patrick Ball, radiating kindness).—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The eclipse won’t be visible from Earth — only from the Orion capsule — treating the astronauts to several minutes’ worth of views of the sun’s outermost, radiating atmosphere, the corona.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shining. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
