glare

¹ American  

[glair] / glɛər /

noun

1. a very harsh, bright, dazzling light.

   in the glare of sunlight.

   Synonyms:

   flash, glitter, flare

2. a fiercely or angrily piercing stare.

3. dazzling or showy appearance; showiness.

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verb (used without object)

glared, glaring

1. to shine with or reflect a very harsh, bright, dazzling light.

2. to stare with a fiercely or angrily piercing look.

3. Archaic. to appear conspicuous; stand out obtrusively.

verb (used with object)

glared, glaring

1. to express with a glare.

   They glared their anger at each other.

glare ² American  

[glair] / glɛər /

noun

1. a bright, smooth surface, as of ice.

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glare ¹ British  

/ ɡlɛə /

verb

1. (intr) to stare angrily; glower

2. (tr) to express by glowering

3. (intr) (of light, colour, etc) to be very bright and intense

4. (intr) to be dazzlingly ornamented or garish

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noun

1. an angry stare

2. a dazzling light or brilliance

3. garish ornamentation or appearance; gaudiness

glare ² British  

/ ɡlɛə /

adjective

1. smooth and glassy

   glare ice

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Related Words

See shine ¹. Glare, glower, gloat all have connotations of emotion that accompany an intense gaze. To glare is to look piercingly or angrily: A tiger glares at its prey. To glower is to look fiercely and threateningly, as from wrath; it suggests a scowl along with a glare: to glower at a mischievous child. To gloat meant originally to look with exultation, avaricious or malignant, on something or someone: a tyrant gloating over the helplessness of his victim. Today, however, it may simply imply inner exultation.

Other Word Forms

• glareless adjective
• glary adjective

Etymology

Origin of glare¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English glaren; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German glaren; akin to glass (compare Old English glæren “glassy”); noun derivative of the verb

Origin of glare²

First recorded in 1560–70; special use of glare ¹

Example Sentences

In the last decade small towns in California, Tennessee and Hawaii experienced glaring emergency alert shortfalls as climate change has intensified wildfire risks.

From Los Angeles Times

The Lakers’ defense has become a glaring weakness, the team ranking 27th in defensive rating over its last 10 games while giving up dangerous transition opportunities.

From Los Angeles Times

The most glaring issues are the team’s defense in transition and early in the opponent’s offense, Redick said.

From Los Angeles Times

It left Luke Kornet shrinking under James’ intense glare and scream.

From Los Angeles Times

One question is why the study’s glaring errors weren’t caught by peer reviewers before it was published.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• frown
• gape
• gawk
• glower
• scowl
• stare