glimmer

1 of 2

verb

glim·​mer ˈgli-mər How to pronounce glimmer (audio)
glimmered; glimmering ˈgli-mə-riŋ How to pronounce glimmer (audio)
ˈglim-

intransitive verb

1
a
: to shine faintly or unsteadily
The candles glimmered in the windows.
b
: to give off a subdued unsteady reflection
Her white satin dress glimmered in the dusk.
2
: to appear indistinctly with a faintly luminous quality

glimmer

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a feeble or intermittent light
the first glimmer of dawn
b
: a subdued unsteady shining or sparkle
2
a
: a dim perception or faint idea : inkling
gave them a glimmer of what they could expect
b
: hint, spark
a glimmer of intelligence
a glimmer of hope
Choose the Right Synonym for glimmer

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light.

flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

lightning flashed

gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

lights gleamed in the valley

glint implies a cold glancing light.

glinting steel

sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

the sparkling waters

glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

glittering diamonds

glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

glistening wet sidewalk

glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

a distant glimmering light

shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

a shimmering satin dress

Examples of glimmer in a Sentence

Verb Candles glimmered in the windows of the inn. Moonlight glimmered on the pond. Noun the glimmer of a distant star Their first meeting with the new boss gave them a glimmer of what they could expect.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Yacoub spent most of filming with Zendaya, who arrived on the carpet in head-to-toe robot armor, her body glimmering against the makeshift desert. Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024 The songs collage together scenes and observations amid country-rock arrangements that glimmer with reverb and feature loose, lassoing guitar solos. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2024 Wild horses roam free, waves glimmer with bioluminescence, and dramatic black sands welcome visitors to a Caribbean island that has escaped the test of time. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2024 Nicole Scherzinger and Dixie D’Amelio also dazzled in glimmering blue confections from the same collection, while The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Marin Hinkle walked the carpet in a streamlined red halter gown. Fawnia Soo Hoo, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 Tall trees and towering bamboo shoots that shade the deck both obscure and frame glimmering vistas over the ocean. James McClain, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2024 With them at the front of the two-level bus sat the glimmering Lombardi Trophy, the hardware earned for beating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2024 And eventually, as the frenetic energy in the room reached its crescendo, Beyoncé herself appeared in a glimmering silver blazer with matching thigh-high boots from Gaurav Gupta’s recent spring 2024 couture collection. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 Darker skin tones can apply Hue Drops just the same, but the finish will be more of a glimmering glow, like highlighter, as opposed to a slight contour. Talia Gutierrez, Allure, 24 Jan. 2024
Noun
The Lakers cut the Kings’ lead to nine in the fourth, a glimmer of momentum. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The arrival of Hanuš, a mystifying creature from the dawn of time with Paul Dano lending his voice, offers Jakub a glimmer of hope. Bonnie & Clyde (1967) Arthur Penn's Bonnie & Clyde, starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, is a landmark film in American cinema that redefined the crime genre. Travis Bean, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 With the holiday craze behind us but summer still feeling so far away, travelers have a glimmer of hope in the spring. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 There are glimmers of unrequited love, of a dark interiority driving the music’s brooding, sci-fi aesthetic. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 But the Warriors may not be in a place to celebrate one three-minute glimmer. Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2024 There were glimmers against Barca, and then against Cagliari, but the brace against Sassuolo confirmed that Kvaratskhelia still possesses enough firepower to help Napoli back up the Serie A standings. David Ferrini, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 The town celebrates its excess, the glimmer and shine that makes carpeted, smoky casinos feel like temples for greatness. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024 Photograph: David Muir/Getty Images A year ago, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in the cybersecurity industry's long-running war of attrition against ransomware gangs. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glimmer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English glimeren; akin to Old English glǣm gleam

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glimmer was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near glimmer

Cite this Entry

“Glimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glimmer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glimmer

noun
glim·​mer
ˈglim-ər
1
a
: a feeble or unsteady light
b
: a soft shimmer
2
a
: a faint idea : inkling
b
: a small amount : bit
glimmer verb

More from Merriam-Webster on glimmer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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