as in glowing
giving off or reflecting much light
the shining moon formed a nice backdrop for our outdoor concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in beaming
to emit rays of light
the sun appears to shine particularly brightly in summer because that is when it's closest to the Earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the salesman shined his shoes every morning before leaving the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shining
Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Eloise's shining moment comes in Quinn's To Sir Phillip, With Love, and follows her love story with Sir Phillip Crane—yes, that Phillip, who married his late brother's true love Marina Thompson.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Adjacent to this institution is the shining star of the Costa Mesa arts community, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with a mission to entertain, educate, and engage the community.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shining
Adjective
The Boston Celtics, in second place in the East without Jayson Tatum this year and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis traded away, are another shining example.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Eloise's shining moment comes in Quinn's To Sir Phillip, With Love, and follows her love story with Sir Phillip Crane—yes, that Phillip, who married his late brother's true love Marina Thompson.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Lots of us, the argument goes, like to go out for a few drinks when the sun is shining.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Adjacent to this institution is the shining star of the Costa Mesa arts community, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with a mission to entertain, educate, and engage the community.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shining
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shining
Adjective
-
Happy, glowing, ready-for-life me.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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The piece creates a gently glowing, romantic atmosphere that segues perfectly with an evening informed by the storied garden design of Northern Italy.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Miriam turned her beaming face to her window, gap-tooth a narrow darkness in an otherwise white smile.—
‘Pemi Aguda,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
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Their games began beaming into households across the country, night after night, summer after summer.—
Andrew Kirell,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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While rivals like the Tacoma and Colorado constantly reinvent themselves, Nissan tends to take the long road by refining, tweaking, and polishing instead of blowing everything up every few years.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 May 2026
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Various owners have taken the reins over the years, but all were committed to preserving the bar’s old-school character rather than polishing, upgrading, or updating it away.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The gothic building, opened in 1927, was first named Hammerstein's Theatre in honor of owner Arthur Hammerstein’s father, Oscar Hammerstein I, who helped develop New York’s luminous Times Square.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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Try the entire collection, which includes a 16-shadow palette, luminous blush, and two brushes for less than $90.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The room now held a gleaming white loft bed, with a small den of executive function underneath.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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And just a year before, Spirit opened a gleaming new headquarters building at Dania Pointe, a restaurant and shopping district in South Broward.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Harvest quinoa by hitting the flower stalks against a hard surface or rubbing them between your hands to separate the seeds from the flower parts or chaff.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Apr. 2026
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An employee washed hands for less than 10 seconds at the sushi bar, and the inspector wants to see 10-15 seconds of your hands rubbing each other.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the garden, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be found flitting among the dazzling blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
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Experimental, playful and dazzling, the EGOT winner’s best fashion moments have featured at awards shows, red carpets and more.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 May 2026
Verb
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On the ceiling, where the nave and transept intersect, there will be a depiction of the Holy Spirit as a dove with radiating light and flames.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
26 Apr. 2026
-
What emotion is radiating from the walls?—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shining. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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