1
a
: a transient appearance of subdued or partly obscured light
the gleam of dawn in the east
b(1)
: a small bright light
the gleam of a match
(2)
: glint
a gleam in his eyes
2
: a brief or faint appearance
a gleam of hope
gleamed; gleaming; gleams
1
: to shine with or as if with subdued steady light or moderate brightness
2
: to appear briefly or faintly
a light gleamed in the distance
: to cause to gleam
Examples of gleam in a Sentence
Noun
He saw the gleam of a flashlight in the distance.
the rich gleam of the polished wood
Verb
The sun gleamed on the water.
His eyes were gleaming with delight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2025
My reflection is tall, perhaps rather like an arrow, my blond hair gleams.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
Charlotte Triggs, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Critics see gleaming towers rising from desert sand and detect not ambition but emptiness — a city with an unlimited line of credit, but without a soul.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gleam
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.
Noun
Even when the jewelry was supplied by the studio, its gleam had to match the personality of the characters portrayed.
—Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2025
My reflection is tall, perhaps rather like an arrow, my blond hair gleams.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
The whole vibe of the shoot was sexy, autumnal, collegiate and when the pictures came in, his blue eyes were like, gleaming off the page.
—Charlotte Triggs, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Critics see gleaming towers rising from desert sand and detect not ambition but emptiness — a city with an unlimited line of credit, but without a soul.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gleam
Cite this Entry
“Gleam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleam. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share