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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 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
-
The courtyard of Frozen Music—a bespoke stone atelier outside Jaipur, India—lives up to the tranquility of its name, with a burbling fountain and birdsong drifting through banyan trees at dusk.—
Sarah Medford,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The property really comes alive at dusk, so stick around for it.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While there was a brief pushback in the third period from a 26-point deficit, ultimately nothing more to the night than passports ready for immigration and customs.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Headliners include Don Toliver, Mustard and Kehlani with additional surprises throughout the night.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the lunar far side will be only partially lit during the flyby, the lighting is set to cast long shadows that highlight craters, ridges, and slopes in greater detail.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot.—
Ryan Brennan
April 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Strings on folk or rock albums often exist to bolster melodies or add some easy drama; Eisenberg uses them as bursts of color, miniature sunsets briefly illuminating their melodies before sinking below the horizon.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The gorgeous grounds, twice daily game drives, incredible wildlife sightings, and savanna sunsets were all nothing short of breathtaking.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Later, return to Nashville to explore Centennial Park and take in its full-scale Parthenon replica before dark.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
For White Ribbon Day in 2024, Bournemouth were praised for their video campaign, which showed the journeys of a man and a woman home from the Vitality Stadium after dark.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The car was believed to be traveling northeast toward the Evergreen Parkway exit of Interstate 70 at about twilight on March 14.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The Capitals, despite the disappointment of 2025-26, have successfully bridged Ovechkin’s twilight with their next organizational phase, staying competitive during his record chase and positioning themselves to be relevant in the short- and medium-term, regardless of his decision.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Later in the day, a live video feed from a camera mounted on one of Orion's solar wings showed the moon dead ahead, a tiny gray marble suspended in blackness.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film's opening two minutes play out in complete blackness, a picture-less overture showcasing legendary James Bond composer John Barry's majestic score.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nichols was ready to share with jurors his theory of what happened to Kim Langwell the evening she was murdered.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The four Artemis 2 astronauts splashed down off the coast of San Diego this evening (April 10), wrapping up an epic mission that broke spaceflight records, caught the attention of the world and set the stage for even more ambitious moonshots to come.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gloaming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloaming. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
