glimmer

[ glim-er ]

noun

1. a faint or unsteady light; gleam.
2. a dim perception; inkling.

verb (used without object)

1. to shine faintly or unsteadily; twinkle, shimmer, or flicker.
2. to appear faintly or dimly.

glimmer

/ ˈɡlɪmə /

verb

1. (of a light, candle, etc) to glow faintly or flickeringly
2. to be indicated faintly

   hope glimmered in his face

noun

1. a glow or twinkle of light
2. a faint indication

Derived Forms

• ˈglimmeringly, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of glimmer¹

1300–50; Middle English glimeren “to gleam”; cognate with German glimmern; compare Old English gleomu “splendor”

Word History and Origins

Origin of glimmer¹

C14: compare Middle High German glimmern, Swedish glimra, Danish glimre

Synonym Study

See gleam.

Example Sentences

His backflip is yet another ominous confirmation that we should expect Trump’s next round of judges to not show even a glimmer of independence: They will be selected for their loyalty to the president’s agenda and spend the next four years auditioning accordingly.

From Slate

Still, Milioti finds a glimmer of hope in Sofia’s ending: In prison, she gets a note from Selina Kyle, a.k.a.

From Los Angeles Times

“Speak to your friends,” I pleaded, sensing a glimmer of hope.

From BBC

But any glimmer of hope for a Pegula comeback was extinguished as she double-faulted to give her opponent the break back, after which Krejcikova - whose performance was far from polished - coasted to a straightforward victory with a solitary break point her only hurdle.

From BBC

But when Listen to Michigan and similar appeals failed to lead to meaningful change—even after a glimmer of hope when Kamala Harris took over the Democratic ticket—he decided to become part of a bloc of Arab voters and cast a “conscience vote” in Michigan.

From Slate

Related Words

• flicker
• gleam
• glint
• glow
• hint
• inkling
• ray
• twinkle