as in polished
having a shiny surface or finish
a glistening marble table top
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in gleaming
to shoot forth bursts of light
this seemingly dull opal really glistens in full light
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 glistening
James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
The simple gym room is equipped with an elliptical, a couple treadmills, and weight-lifting systems, all with views of a glistening tributary of the Cubango River that flows through the property.
—Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
There are soaring layers of harmony vocals, a glistening 12-string-guitar part, driving drum fills that speed the song forward.
—Jack Hamilton, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
As the doc’s creation Rocky (John Rivera), usually depicted as a glistening depiction of male beauty, appears here as a non-Adonis — a beefy, WWF-looking contender, in singlet and without a clue.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Maybe someone will see my glistening red lips from the rescue plane!
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
The facade, designed by renown Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump and inspired by Blair, mixes glistening white metals and fiberglass with gold leaf accents that nod to the Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, a Dutch windmill and more.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
My colleagues, meanwhile, used forceps to pick glistening scale worms and peanut worms from the rocks.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
He was hunched over, his shoulders rounded beneath the material of his dark blue blazer; his strong, square features were glistening with sweat.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
Locking up that glistening new contract, and a load of political capital within the university, before Michigan locked up his team.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
This rapid change in temperature creates condensation, which is why your lawn is often glistening with dew on spring and summer mornings.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Head outside tonight and drink in the sight of the Pleiades open star cluster glistening close to the red star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, before the mesmerizing naked-eye jewel slips out of view with the changing of the seasons.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Nearly forty years ago, Bloodsport launched the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme and helped propel him as a bankable leading man known for his glistening muscles and martial arts prowess.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
The glistening lanes of the westbound 10 Freeway after a big rig carrying syrup overturned in Fontana on Monday, March 16, 2026.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
In the Giotto bed skirt, folds don’t just ripple so much as elegantly undulate, glistening with the kind of delicate sheen that only sateen and silk can accomplish.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The entry foyer, with its vaulted ceiling and glistening floor, is welcoming and impressive.
—James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
The simple gym room is equipped with an elliptical, a couple treadmills, and weight-lifting systems, all with views of a glistening tributary of the Cubango River that flows through the property.
—Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
There are soaring layers of harmony vocals, a glistening 12-string-guitar part, driving drum fills that speed the song forward.
—Jack Hamilton, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
As the doc’s creation Rocky (John Rivera), usually depicted as a glistening depiction of male beauty, appears here as a non-Adonis — a beefy, WWF-looking contender, in singlet and without a clue.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Maybe someone will see my glistening red lips from the rescue plane!
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
The facade, designed by renown Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump and inspired by Blair, mixes glistening white metals and fiberglass with gold leaf accents that nod to the Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, a Dutch windmill and more.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
My colleagues, meanwhile, used forceps to pick glistening scale worms and peanut worms from the rocks.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
From heirloom tiaras to glistening sapphires and an ocean’s worth of pearls, Elizabeth had a bijou box worth millions—composed of both new pieces and the 142 Crown Jewels that are passed from monarch to monarch.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
He was hunched over, his shoulders rounded beneath the material of his dark blue blazer; his strong, square features were glistening with sweat.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
Locking up that glistening new contract, and a load of political capital within the university, before Michigan locked up his team.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
This rapid change in temperature creates condensation, which is why your lawn is often glistening with dew on spring and summer mornings.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Head outside tonight and drink in the sight of the Pleiades open star cluster glistening close to the red star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, before the mesmerizing naked-eye jewel slips out of view with the changing of the seasons.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Nearly forty years ago, Bloodsport launched the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme and helped propel him as a bankable leading man known for his glistening muscles and martial arts prowess.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
The glistening lanes of the westbound 10 Freeway after a big rig carrying syrup overturned in Fontana on Monday, March 16, 2026.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
In the Giotto bed skirt, folds don’t just ripple so much as elegantly undulate, glistening with the kind of delicate sheen that only sateen and silk can accomplish.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glistening
Adjective
-
The result will leave strands looking glossy and polished.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
-
Poured terrazzo floors and rich hardwood run throughout, punctuated by polished concrete and expert millwork.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The room now held a gleaming white loft bed, with a small den of executive function underneath.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
And just a year before, Spirit opened a gleaming new headquarters building at Dania Pointe, a restaurant and shopping district in South Broward.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Silky cubes of tofu and tender ground pork in a glossy sauce with a subtle heat, more driven by black pepper than the lurid red chilis that swam alongside.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
-
After New Year’s our mother dumps it, with all the glossy families and chirpy letters, in the trash.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
In the gutter, the usual New Orleans blend of litter and live-oak leaves was topped by a shimmering layer of pink fish scales glinting in the sun.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The path down is picturesque, but peppered with black snakes glinting in the sun.—
Kristina Kasparian,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There is The Portrait’s sleek modern lines with industrial influences.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
Housed in the sleek, minimalist 40 mm case of its award-winning Streamliner, the piece pairs genuine mechanical ingenuity with a retro refit of one of sneaker culture’s most recognizable innovations.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Stunning in shimmering orange getups?—
Laura Lane,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Belvedere’s reputation—old money, low-key wealth, a yacht harbor shimmering below—was baked in more than a century ago.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Pop a satin version on top of your usual night-out curls to make the 'do feel glamorous.—
Jasmine Washington,
Seventeen,
18 Jan. 2023
-
From satin pillowcases to a hydrating moisturizer, all of these products are on sale for less than $25.—
Isabel Garcia,
Peoplemag,
13 Jan. 2023
Verb
-
Queen Rania of Jordan opted for a glittering gold Giorgio Armani design for a charity dinner commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans on Tuesday night in Amman, Jordan.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
-
In ancient times, every human was greeted with a dazzling night sky, filled with thousands of glittering points of light; every night, most of those points would appear in the same relative position, but the Moon and planets would wander on a night-to-night basis.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Glistening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glistening. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
