1
as in dusk
a time or place of little or no light
lovers would often retreat to the gloaming of the park's many secluded recesses to steal a kiss
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2
as in night
the time from when the sun begins to set to the onset of total darkness
with the gloaming came the familiar call of the whip-poor-will
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Recent Examples of gloaming
The mirror’s surface turned suddenly iridescent, like an oil slick beneath a gloaming.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Perhaps swallow-tail bee-eaters, Africa openbill storks, and Burchell’s starlings, their stunning plumage flashing blue-green in the pink-gold gloaming: such sightings lend instant credence to the adage that Africa will make a birder out of anyone.
—Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
There is an excellent chance that one of the world’s two best golfers will be sliding his arms into a green jacket in the sweet gloaming of Sunday evening just outside the Augusta National clubhouse.
—Jason Sobel, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Just across the street was a second landfill, belonging to a Texas company called Weeks Environmental, whose own black mountain—nearly ten million additional barrels of waste—rose into the Texas gloaming.
—Justin Nobel, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
So imagine everyone’s delight when Bennifer reemerged from the gloaming after Lopez split with fiance Alex Rodriguez.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 17 July 2022
The game down on the field seems to be played in the gloaming.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2022
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
Perhaps swallow-tail bee-eaters, Africa openbill storks, and Burchell’s starlings, their stunning plumage flashing blue-green in the pink-gold gloaming: such sightings lend instant credence to the adage that Africa will make a birder out of anyone.
—Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
There is an excellent chance that one of the world’s two best golfers will be sliding his arms into a green jacket in the sweet gloaming of Sunday evening just outside the Augusta National clubhouse.
—Jason Sobel, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Just across the street was a second landfill, belonging to a Texas company called Weeks Environmental, whose own black mountain—nearly ten million additional barrels of waste—rose into the Texas gloaming.
—Justin Nobel, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
So imagine everyone’s delight when Bennifer reemerged from the gloaming after Lopez split with fiance Alex Rodriguez.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 17 July 2022
The game down on the field seems to be played in the gloaming.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloaming
Noun
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Most outdoor options today are weather-resistant and can be programmed to switch on at dusk.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
6 May 2026
-
Brian said that his wife fell overboard from their eight-foot dinghy while the couple motored back to their yacht, Soulmate, off the coast of Elbow Cay around dusk.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge had six nights off between Games 1 and 2 of their series, with Game 2 taking place Friday night in Canada’s capital.—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
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Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said the night’s biggest surprise was Pratt’s performance.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Jules’ colorful shadows - Season 1, Episode 5 One of the most artistic makeup looks from season 1, Jules’ (Hunter Schafer) colorful eyelids look a bit like an abstract painting.—
Hannah Kerns,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
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Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Soukana’s rooftop bar and lounge is a great place to flop down and take in the sunrise or sunset.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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Boutique properties like Valldemossa Hotel build in spa treatments, yoga and sunset terraces.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Even the resort's concrete pathways serve the mission—instead of traditional lights, they are bordered by the faint green and blue light of glow-in-the-dark pebbles.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
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Some disc golf discs have extra features that can range from being glow-in-the-dark to floating when landing in water.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Both events promise unforgettable views of the sun's corona, plunging daytime into an eerie twilight.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 May 2026
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Patterson’s comments came at the tail-end of Missouri’s annual legislative session and the twilight of his term as speaker.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Noun
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In it, a crescent of Earth’s blue vitality hovers amid the blackness of space, above a high-definition brownish gray wasteland of lunar craters.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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Together, these two superb artists make much of Yarris constantly seeking the light, as Yarris searches for a way forward from the blackness of death row.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The hearts and minds of Braves players were on Bobby Cox on a sunny evening at Dodger Stadium before the middle game of a three-game series against the Dodgers — a game that meant very little, considering the news of the day.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
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The red couch had once been the warm center of family evenings.—
Nicholas Dawidoff,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gloaming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloaming. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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