gleams 1 of 2

noun

plural of gleam
as in glows
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible the door opened a crack and let in a gleam of light from the hallway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gleams

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gleam
as in glints
to shoot forth bursts of light fine china and stemware gleaming in the candlelight

Synonyms & Similar 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 gleams
Noun
The main camera is positioned so that Big Bear Lake gleams in the background, changing hue throughout the day. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 The first hotel opened by the Orient Express group, its design gleams with contemporary comfort while still referencing the history of this world-famous train. — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026 Yorkshire Pecorino gleams pale, smooth, and yogurty. — Olivia Potts, Longreads, 28 May 2026 Around the corner is Alexander Calder’s 1964 fountain Three Quintains (Hello Girls), which has been lovingly restored and gleams in the early morning light. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026 General Daily Insight for April 10, 2026 A friendly spark gleams over our current conversations. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2026 Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 The total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026 The brilliant white building gleams in all its Art Deco glory, symbolizing Miami’s political and aviation history. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Like Beckham’s dress, the 100-percent silk dress softly gleams in the light. — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025 Despite a couple of funky skips, the album is fueled by the hunger of an artist who really wants the pop life again, perking up electro-scuzz and arena rock with new wave that gleams like glitter. — Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025 The mother-and-daughter duo revamped almost every corner of the 7,000-square-foot home, including its exterior, which now gleams with white siding and cobalt-blue shutters. — Paola Singer, Architectural Digest, 13 Nov. 2025 The Airstream gleams absurdly against the ocherous land below. — Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 Patches of unintelligibility are nothing new in Pynchon, but usually a coherent world view gleams upward from the murk. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 Nothing gleams as beautifully as a white kitchen. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gleams
  1. glows
  2. glints
  3. glares
  4. shimmers
  5. lights
  6. shines
  7. glistens
  8. flashes
Noun
  • Two small slots on each of those sides are there to hold available tritium vials so that the Apex V2 glows, making it (and the release buttons) easier to find in the dark.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Every nightfall is different — different seasonal colors, angels, weather, celestial glows, grasses and shadows.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of glows
Verb
  • Two great blue herons lift off from the water’s edge and coast along a breeze as the sun glints off their wings.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The air is perfectly warm, the sunshine glints on the water, happy people pass by and wave.
    — Kristy Woodson Harvey, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
Definition of glints
Noun
  • As Nazareth’s pep band rang in the victory, parents offered the Celtics words of comfort, pausing only to cast glares in the direction of administrators.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Astronomers have spotted four dead star white dwarf stars playing a game of cosmic hide-and-seek, all four of which were hiding in the glares of red dwarf companion stars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of glares
Verb
  • When Waits mentions the burglar alarm that sealed Ceaser’s fate, Duke’s piano shimmers dramatically.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026
  • What truly stands out to us, though, is the luminous effect that shimmers throughout the cabin.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of shimmers
Noun
  • To indicate stopping or slowing if your brake lights are not working, stick your left arm out the window and bend it down toward the ground.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Presented amid fog and flashing lights outside Venice’s Lido Casino, the dystopian collection featured towering thigh-high platform boots resembling waders, an allusion to both the mythical river and the city’s rising waters.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of lights
Verb
  • Reese wants to be known as one of the best players in the WNBA, and those players are the ones who show up when the spotlight shines brightest.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Beneath the laughter ran a celebration of disability in comedy, with Way’s command of the room demonstrating exactly why Alden shines in the show.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of shines
Verb
  • Fifty years later, his military haircut glistens with silver from a lifetime serving in fatigues.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • Mercury's steady light will shine low on the western horizon in the glow of the setting sun, as while Jupiter glistens close to its upper left, with Venus and the moon lining up beyond to create a spectacular planetary display.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 June 2026
Definition of glistens
Verb
  • Creative endeavor, in the space of a few hours, flashes its many faces, arduous and sexy, fleeting and fun.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • This option from Vantamo flashes a bright light and emits a 130-decibel sound from dual speakers whenever the top pin is pulled, alerting passersby of the emergency and scaring off potential assailants.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of flashes

Browse Nearby Words

gleaming
gleams
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Cite this Entry

“Gleams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gleams. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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