GLINT Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'glint' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of glint are flash , gleam , glimmer , glisten , glitter , shimmer , and sparkle . While all these words mean "to send forth light," glint implies a cold glancing light. // glinting steel

Q: When is 'flash' a more appropriate choice than 'glint'?

The words flash and glint are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light. // lightning flashed

Q: When would 'gleam' be a good substitute for 'glint'?

The synonyms gleam and glint are sometimes interchangeable, but gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background. // lights gleamed in the valley

Q: Where would 'glimmer' be a reasonable alternative to 'glint'?

The meanings of glimmer and glint largely overlap; however, glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam. // a distant glimmering light

Q: When might 'glisten' be a better fit than 'glint'?

The words glisten and glint can be used in similar contexts, but glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface. // glistening wet sidewalk

Q: In what contexts can 'glitter' take the place of 'glint'?

While in some cases nearly identical to glint , glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming. // glittering diamonds

Q: When is it sensible to use 'shimmer' instead of 'glint'?

While the synonyms shimmer and glint are close in meaning, shimmer means shining with a wavering light. // a shimmering satin dress

Q: When could 'sparkle' be used to replace 'glint'?

In some situations, the words sparkle and glint are roughly equivalent. However, sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light. // the sparkling waters

glint 1 of 2

verb

ˈglint

Definition of glint

as in to gleam

to shoot forth bursts of light the cat's eyes glinted in the moonlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to glance

to take a quick or hasty look the thief glinted around the corner to see if anyone was coming

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

glint

2 of 2

noun

as in gleam

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb glint contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of glint are flash, gleam, glimmer, glisten, glitter, shimmer, and sparkle. While all these words mean "to send forth light," glint implies a cold glancing light.

glinting steel

When is flash a more appropriate choice than glint?

The words flash and glint are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

lightning flashed

When would gleam be a good substitute for glint?

The synonyms gleam and glint are sometimes interchangeable, but gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

lights gleamed in the valley

Where would glimmer be a reasonable alternative to glint?

The meanings of glimmer and glint largely overlap; however, glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

a distant glimmering light

When might glisten be a better fit than glint?

The words glisten and glint can be used in similar contexts, but glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

glistening wet sidewalk

In what contexts can glitter take the place of glint?

While in some cases nearly identical to glint, glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

glittering diamonds

When is it sensible to use shimmer instead of glint?

While the synonyms shimmer and glint are close in meaning, shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

a shimmering satin dress

When could sparkle be used to replace glint?

In some situations, the words sparkle and glint are roughly equivalent. However, sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

the sparkling waters

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 glint

Verb

The glinting metal of the Devil’s watch chain flashed in her mind, his hair and his teeth. — Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 The crowd was glitzy—Goyard bags strewn over orange day-bed mattresses, Rolexes glinting—but at ease and not partying wildly like those further down the beach. — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2026

Noun

Steve Gleason, co-founder of Crowfoot Range and a member of the Avimor neighborhood watch, was the first to point out the glint of a pickup truck on the far hill. — Noah Daly august 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 Aug. 2026 This glowing take on guava nails features green polish with a pink cat-eye glint. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for glint

Recent Examples of Synonyms for glint

Verb

There’s a gleaming hospital and a string of new downtown spots to supplement The Bar, the beloved dive that was supposedly among the inspirations for the Patch Café in the TV series Landman, which is set here.

— Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
In others, the walls are paneled in a gleaming hardwood, which sets off the furniture, upholstered in black and dark-gray velvets.

— Kim Velsey, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of gleam

Verb

The ball glanced off the webbing of Walls' glove and into left field for an RBI single and a 2-0 lead.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
DeLuca covered 85 feet to track down Yelich’s drive but just missed making a diving catch as the ball glanced off his glove.

— Steve Megaree, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of glance

Noun

The cream creates a subtle glow and softens the skin, helping to smooth out those fine lines on the neck.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
The familiar stars of Orion's Belt glisten to the right of McCollum's image, close to the glow of the Orion Nebula — one of the nearest major star forming regions to Earth.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of glow

Noun

But that’s a glimmer of progress in an overall bleak data set.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
Curt Cignetti has not just provided a championship mindset for the passionate fans that were sitting through days of blowouts and small glimmers of hope in past years.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of glimmer

Noun

But the brand’s shimmer has worn off over the decades, first under Ford and then under India’s Tata Motors, which bought Jaguar Land Rover in 2008.

— Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
The shimmer of the dress was complemented by Johnson’s jewelry pieces, which included earrings, a ring and necklace courtesy of Roberto Coin, for whom Johnson serves as a global brand ambassador.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of shimmer

Browse Nearby Words

glimpsing

glint

glinted

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Style

“Glint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glint. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of glint

verb

noun

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