gleam
a flash or beam of light: the gleam of a lantern in the dark.
a dim or subdued light.
a brief or slight manifestation or occurrence; trace: a gleam of hope.
to send forth a gleam or gleams.
to appear suddenly and clearly like a flash of light.
Origin of gleam
1synonym study For gleam
Other words for gleam
Other words from gleam
- gleam·less, adjective
- out·gleam, verb (used with object)
Words Nearby gleam
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use gleam in a sentence
For a test of dry-land mirrors, Franklin and her colleagues turned to a showy group of about 40 species of scarab beetles, some with a natural gleam.
Mirror beetles’ shiny bodies may not act as camouflage after all | Susan Milius | March 9, 2022 | Science NewsBaugh had brought nothing but his remarkable good will, and it was in full gleam for all to see when the president entered.
Polish them until they gleam with malice, wicked glee, and non-registry gifts.
The First-World Anarchist’s Guide to Weddings | Kelly Williams Brown | May 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA brown tacky gleam of years of paint accumulation covers the three-story apartment.
The Weird Underground World of Urban Animal Husbandry | Dale Eisinger | May 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe asked me what I put on my nail polish to give all the colors a warm gleam.
“I hear Gore’s voice and I want so much to be with him” | Anaïs Nin | October 26, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Evans, 31, whose eyes gleam behind a mess of blonde hair, was a formerly committed Christian whose faith had lapsed.
It was the darkest hour of twilight, when there was just enough of gleam from the lurid sky, to shew the outline of objects.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterHe was sure that I was really there, and the gleam of white teeth showed a broadening dog-smile.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson LloydMr. Levi enters almost beside him; how white his big eyeballs gleam, as he steps in under the same cold light!
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuShe smiled back at him, a pale, timid smile, like a gleam of sunshine from a wintry sky.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniIndirect lighting gave a pretty gleam to the metal gadgets on the tables.
Fee of the Frontier | Horace Brown Fyfe
British Dictionary definitions for gleam
/ (ɡliːm) /
a small beam or glow of light, esp reflected light
a brief or dim indication: a gleam of hope
to send forth or reflect a beam of light
to appear, esp briefly: intelligence gleamed in his eyes
Origin of gleam
1Derived forms of gleam
- gleaming, adjective
- gleamy, adjective
- gleamingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse