Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

glitter

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of glitter

to shoot forth bursts of light

  • the queen's crown glittered under the glare of the TV lights
Synonyms of glitter

coruscate, flame, flash, glance, gleam, glimmer, glint, glisten, glister, luster (or lustre), scintillate, shimmer, spangle, sparkle, twinkle, wink, winkle
Words Related to glitter

beam, radiate, shine

bedazzle, blind, daze, dazzle

blaze, burn, flare, glare, glow

Synonym Discussion of glitter

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light. flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.
    • lightning flashed
gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.
    • lights gleamed in the valley
glint implies a cold glancing light.
    • glinting steel
sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.
    • the sparkling waters
glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.
    • glittering diamonds
glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.
    • glistening wet sidewalk
glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.
    • a distant glimmering light
shimmer means shining with a wavering light.
    • a shimmering satin dress

Learn More about glitter

  1. See words that rhyme with glitter Dictionary: Definition of glitter Spanish Central: Translation of glitter Nglish: Translation of glitter for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of glitter for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up glitter? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

milieu

the setting in which something occurs

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. Spartan Red Cross Warns of Shelter Conditions

  2. hirsute RIP Burt Reynolds

  3. op-ed NYT Publishes Anonymous Piece

  4. collegiality Kavanaugh Mentions Word in Hearing

  5. mistrial Manafort Guilty on 8 Counts

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games