1
: to emit rays of light
2
: to be bright by reflection of light
3
a
: to be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished
shines in math
b
: to perform extremely well
when will stocks really shine again?—
Temma Ehrenfeld
Temma Ehrenfeld4
: to have a bright glowing appearance
his face shone with enthusiasm
5
: to be conspicuously evident or clear
1
a
: to cause to emit light
b
: to throw or direct the light of
2
past tense and past participle shined
: to make bright by polishing
shined his shoes
1
: brightness caused by the emission of light
2
: brightness caused by the reflection of light : luster
the shine of polished silver
3
: brilliance, splendor
still has a shine about her
4
: fair weather : sunshine
rain or shine
7
a
: a polish or gloss given to shoes
b
: a single polishing of a pair of shoes
Examples of shine in a Sentence
Verb
The sun was shining through the clouds.
lamps shining from the windows
She found a sport where she can really shine.
Noun
the shine of polished silver
He had a nice shine on his shoes.
Would you like a shine?
Recent Examples on the Web
Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
Neptune will shine at a magnitude of +7.94, which is fainter than the human eye can detect (typically around +6.5 under dark sky conditions).
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2025
Kiana Murden, Vogue, 2 May 2025
In the selfie her nails were kept short with minimal shine, creating the natural effect she’s been favoring for many months.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shine
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Verb
The Page of Cups shines a spotlight for you, calling you to focus on the aspects of your life that light you up this month.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 May 2025
Neptune will shine at a magnitude of +7.94, which is fainter than the human eye can detect (typically around +6.5 under dark sky conditions).
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2025
Noun
Doses of sodium hyaluronate and niacinamide restore hydration, while lactic acid helps to unclog pores and control shine.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 2 May 2025
In the selfie her nails were kept short with minimal shine, creating the natural effect she’s been favoring for many months.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shine
Cite this Entry
“Shine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shine. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shine
1 of 2 verb
shone
ˈshōn 
or shined; shining
or shined; shining
1
: to give light
the stars shone brightly
2
: to be glossy : gleam
polished the buttons until they shone like gold
3
: to be outstanding : show talent
on stage where I could really shine
4
: to cause to give light
shine a flashlight
5
: to make bright by polishing
shined my shoes
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