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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sheen

2 of 2

verb

as in to shimmer

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

Lichtenstein’s dynamic style is ubiquitous by now—as are his professional sheen and finish—but that doesn’t cancel out his winning charm, which, like most charm, can warm you up or wear you out. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026 Her lips were frosted with a sheen of seashell pink, which manages to be both wintry and summery at the same time. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 Nov. 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

The music resolves and smoke rolls into the gallery before the screen opens up and the real Endeavour gleams in the distance, spotlighted like a mirage in the dark.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
The singer-songwriter’s seventh album is their wackiest and funniest to date, with a madcap gleam coursing through its synth-pop portraits of lovable weirdos and suburban dread.

— Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of gleam

Verb

Among the shades worth knowing are Icing, a milky pink that complements the barely-there makeup aesthetic, and Cristal, a shimmering pink for those who prefer a little sparkle.

— Camila Quimper, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2026
Embellished with shimmering gold sequins and crystals, this floor-length design was cut to a plunging neckline and a dramatic, cape-like silhouette.

— Eloise Moran, InStyle, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of shimmer

Noun

Step inside the glassy tower and the mood softens instantly; warm wood panelling, geometric latticework and ikebana arrangements nod to traditional craftsmanship; lantern-like lighting casts a gentle glow across stone floors and neutral textiles.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
The glow of many Turners has dwindled, thanks to unstable pigments, but here is an immaculate exception.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of glow

Verb

Two other large, bright open star clusters in this region that look great in 10x50 binoculars are the glittering stars of NGC 752 in Andromeda and M34, a bright, hazy patch in Perseus.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Returning home with the glittering medal draped on his neck, Cassius is lauded but also thrust right back into the oppressive, segregated and deeply racist Louisville.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of glitter

Noun

Lights from torches and Navi the fairy play off the floors and walls of dungeons with lavish detail, making metal glint and bringing out the cracks and contours of stone and tile.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
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

Definition of glint

Verb

But as the boat drifted nearby under a vast, cloudless sky, a pod of pink river dolphins broke the glassy, reflective surface just yards away, their rosy dorsal fins glistening in the late-afternoon sun.

— Liam Hess, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
In the mile-wide oil field known as the Bayou, an oily sheen glistened on creeks and long streaks of salt scarred the land.

— Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of glisten

Verb

Related Curry’s Frank was easy to swallow but tough to follow — many who have laced up the corset since then have glimmered, but always in Curry’s shadow.

— Joe Lynch, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2026
The shoes featured a stiletto heel with lace-up detailing around the ankle and glimmered slightly with a dramatic metallic finish that elevated the entire look.

— Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of glimmer

Browse Nearby Words

sheds

sheen

sheened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sheen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sheen. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sheen

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gauntlet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes