as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible
candles made from whale oil were once highly prized because they burned with an incandescence superior to that of other candles
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Recent Examples of incandescence
Private is the mystery incandescence of her nacre, coveting which the likes of us killed her ancestors to make buttons, souvenirs, entire garments for ritual dancers who sought to banish their demons with her magical inner light.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Deeper within the planet, though, the surface might be emanating a faint red, due to incandescence resulting from being baked by its star.
—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
Like with incandescent light bulbs, the electrical current enters the socket and travels to a tungsten filament, heating up the filament to incandescence.
—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
5 Feb. 2025
With a name chosen to suggest incandescence, Candente’s grills sear fajitas made from prime skirt steak and ribeye infused with the unmistakable nuances infused by the distinctively strong, smoky, earthy flavors of mesquite smoke.
—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incandescence
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Deeper within the planet, though, the surface might be emanating a faint red, due to incandescence resulting from being baked by its star.
—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
Like with incandescent light bulbs, the electrical current enters the socket and travels to a tungsten filament, heating up the filament to incandescence.
—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
5 Feb. 2025
With a name chosen to suggest incandescence, Candente’s grills sear fajitas made from prime skirt steak and ribeye infused with the unmistakable nuances infused by the distinctively strong, smoky, earthy flavors of mesquite smoke.
—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incandescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incandescence
Noun
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Like the living room, the bedroom is painted the same flat white but the quality of the eastern light filtering into the bedroom casts a buttery glow.
-
By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
Noun
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This variable star is also located 250 light-years from Earth, but is sadly lost from view in the glare of the sun during the summer months.
-
Meanwhile, Warren’s second pitch of that plate appearance made for some chin music — more so than the one that Contreras walked on — and earned a glare from the batter.
Noun
-
The satellite is equipped with three multiwavelength telescopes that are able to collect data in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma-ray light.
-
Optical technology allows semiconductors to process signals at speeds close to that of light.
Noun
-
Then buff the steel with a dry cloth, wiping in the same direction as the metal's grain to bring back that gleam.
-
After a while, though, all the professions of sincerity and thanks, the constant invocations of the one true POTUS, and the worshipful exhibits upstairs give the whole place a cultish, nostalgic gleam.
Noun
-
The citywide experience will consist of landmark illuminations, exhibitions, immersive fan activations, and collaborations with local communities and businesses.
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Inside, a string of skylights will provide almost all the natural illumination the library would ever need, held up by walls made solely of compressed earth.
Cite this Entry
“Incandescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incandescence. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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