SHEEN Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

sheen 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sheen

as in gleam

brightness created by light reflected from a surface polished the metal until it had an even sheen

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sheen

2 of 2

verb

as in to shimmer

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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 sheen

Noun

Many glass cleaners use ammonia to cut through grease and grime, but instead of leaving your appliances polished and shiny, the pungent solution can actually leave a streaky, cloudy sheen on stainless steel. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026 The 92-minute feature, directed by Robert Wise, was released as Cold War fears were at the top of the headlines and was intended as a cautionary tale (decades later, the studio remade the film with Keanu Reeves and an aughts sheen in 2008). — Thr Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Verb

There’s a painterly look to the image, rather than the typical slop-style sickly sheen, but the AI origins are still unmistakable. — Cath Virginia, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026 The pigmentation of this formula is quite strong and leaves behind a glow that isn’t overly sparkly or sheen. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sheen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sheen

Noun

Many of us were not a gleam in our parents’ eyes when Monterey Pop took place.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Related Stories Cruise, declaiming every line, acting with blind bluster and a mean gleam of good-ol’-boy joy, makes Digger a walking cartoon — a larger-than-life satire of over-the-top American arrogance, like LBJ crossed with Foghorn Leghorn.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of gleam

Verb

The shimmering metallic motif of Barbaro’s dress carried through to her shoes, sporting a pair of silver mules courtesy of Paris Texas.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
For the evening, Clooney wore a custom Gucci gown by Demna, its sculptural, off-the-shoulder silhouette covered in shimmering gold sequins with a cascade of floor-length fringe.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of shimmer

Noun

The concealer, which comes in 25 shades, goes on top to add a subtle glow that plays up the color of the eyes.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 16 Oct. 2026
While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.

— Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of glow

Verb

This is a city full of glittering theater marquees and mint midcentury signage, and ringed with rail yards and the scars of an industrial center remade for human scale.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
During the talk, Bardem reflected on a glittering career, from his early life growing up in one of Spain’s most prestigious acting families to winning an Oscar and, this year, finally conquering his fear of the stage.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of glitter

Noun

And because water and most other liquids can’t persist on a planet’s surface without an insulating blanket of air, seeing such a glint could signal the presence of an atmosphere as well.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Now that the greige days are finally behind us, a glint of sparkle truly delights.

— Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of glint

Verb

The Tanana River in the background is flowing high, and most of the area between the river and the Bluff sparkles as sun rays glisten on the thousands of small pools and ponds that fill every dip and crevice in the land surface.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Audiences can expect natural richness, such as underwater images of glistening shellfish, to encounter ecological dread.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of glisten

Noun

The glare cast by the 74%-lit waxing gibbous moon will hide fainter shooting stars for much of the night.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
He was constantly interrupted by phone calls, the glare of television lights and accepted his good wishes of his friends across the country.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of glare

Verb

On Saturday morning, Donald Judd’s 100 Untitled Works in Mill Aluminum was glimmering in the Marfa sunshine, bathed in light with nobody to see it.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
On Tuesday, the jewelry and silversmith firm will open a Caviar Bar at its Milan showroom in Palazzo Gavazzi, where Buccellati jewels and its table and decor pieces will glimmer among Chahan Minassian’s interior designs and vice versa.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of glimmer

Browse Nearby Words

sheds

sheen

sheened

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“Sheen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheen. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sheen

noun

verb

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