as in glow
the steady giving off of the form of radiation that makes vision possible
candles made from whale oil were once highly prized because they burned with an incandescence superior to that of other candles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of incandescence
With a name chosen to suggest incandescence, Candente’s grills sear fajitas made from prime skirt steak and ribeye infused with the unmistakable nuances infused by the distinctively strong, smoky, earthy flavors of mesquite smoke.
—
Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, the oscillating levels of incandescence brought to mind historical artworks not unlike the ones Pashgian encountered while studying art history at Columbia, Boston College, and Harvard before returning home in the mid-‘60s to focus on making work of her own.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The boy debates the merit of each name: on the one hand, chrysalides are green and hard and prone to explode in riots of incandescence; on the other, parrots are green, loud, and obnoxious.
—Beth Bachmann, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
This profile from Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill is a bid to reclaim the valuable heat of Pallenberg’s incandescence, while never shielding viewers from her life’s lasting burn marks.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for incandescence
Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, the oscillating levels of incandescence brought to mind historical artworks not unlike the ones Pashgian encountered while studying art history at Columbia, Boston College, and Harvard before returning home in the mid-‘60s to focus on making work of her own.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2024
The boy debates the merit of each name: on the one hand, chrysalides are green and hard and prone to explode in riots of incandescence; on the other, parrots are green, loud, and obnoxious.
—Beth Bachmann, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
This profile from Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill is a bid to reclaim the valuable heat of Pallenberg’s incandescence, while never shielding viewers from her life’s lasting burn marks.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for incandescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incandescence
Noun
-
When proteins are modified, the glow provides a visual signal, letting researchers monitor biological activity without breaking open cells or adding disruptive chemicals.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Essentially the second tone knob engages an onboard distortion circuit, and when it's activated, a rendering of Godzilla on the pickguard glows and pulsates, the brightness varying depending on the gain levels.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Other drivers say morning glare can be a problem when heading east this time of year.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Schottenheimer downplayed the impact, but said the staff has been preparing for the potential glare.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The game was delayed by at least 10 minutes as several main lights in the arena wouldn’t turn on.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Her mission is to be an example of overcoming adversity, reminding the world that true success comes from working with love, respect, and shining without dimming the light of others.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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
Noun
-
Rounding out the set, 3DMark’s Solar Bay examines ray-tracing performance at 1440p, using dynamic reflections and global illumination effects to push Apple’s GPU and Metal ray tracing capabilities to their limits.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
-
According to the designers, the resulting long-distance illumination goes far beyond the capabilities of conventional LEDs.—
Ben Coxworth
October 17,
New Atlas,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incandescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incandescence. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share