✨ A bright shine ✨ Shining brightly

gleaming

3.2

Shining with a bright, smooth surface like shiny metal

adjective
/ˈɡliːmɪŋ/

: brillante

After the storm, the gleaming leaves shone with fresh rainwater.

He's at McDonald's with the gleaming smile.

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Examples

Ellie's hair is long and black and gleaming down her back.
Donald Trump was born in Queens, NY, a river away from the gleaming skyline of Manhattan.
Their rickety cottage had metamorphosed into a gleaming temple for the gods.
Walking eastward, Fayeton entered the Sun God's gleaming palace at last.
The polished marble floor had a gleaming finish that caught the light beautifully.
The trophy sat on the shelf, its gleaming surface reflecting sunlight.

Synonyms

bright

vsgleaming

459 1.0

Full of strong light that makes a place easy to see

is gentler and more subdued rather than highly intense

shiny

vsgleaming

302 1.0

Bright and smooth because it reflects light

is more restrained and subdued rather than strongly reflective

radiant

vsgleaming

64 4.1

Shining or glowing brightly, often seeming very happy

is more about steady polished surface glow than outward radiance

dazzling

vsgleaming

39 3.9

Very impressive and attractive in a way that gets attention

is more restrained and polished rather than overwhelmingly bright

brilliant

vsgleaming

30 3.0

Very bright and shining with strong light

is less intense and more polished than that very strong shine

polished

vsgleaming

26 2.1

A shiny, smooth surface after being rubbed or cleaned

shares polish but emphasizes steady brightness rather than process

lustrous

vsgleaming

9 5.3

Shining with a soft, smooth glow like polished pearls

leans more toward a cleaner polished gloss than warm glow

sparkling

vsgleaming

5 1.3

Shining with small bright points like light on snow

is calmer and continuous rather than flashing with small lights

shimmery

vsgleaming

3 5.0

A soft, flickering shine that gently catches the light

is steadier and more even rather than tremulous

glittering

vsgleaming

2 3.0

Shining with many small bright points like stars

keeps a single steady shine instead of many flashes

sheeny

vsgleaming

1 6.7

Having a smooth, shiny surface that reflects light

focuses more on steady bright reflection than just surface gloss

burnished

vsgleaming

1 6.5

Has a smooth shiny surface after polishing

shows similar polish but with more constant, subdued radiance

glaring

vsgleaming

1 3.8

A very bright light that hurts your eyes

is softer and less blinding, more controlled in shine

shining

vsgleaming

1 1.0

Bright and reflecting light because it is clean or polished

is steadier and often less about simple cleanliness than polished glow

bright as a new penny

vsgleaming

1 5.1

Very bright and shiny, like a new coin

is steady and subdued rather than spectacularly new or flashy

nitid

vsgleaming

Archaic

9.9

A smooth surface that shines softly, like polished silver

is steadier and a bit brighter rather than merely soft

agleam

vsgleaming

Literature

8.0

Shining with a soft steady light

is similarly steady but often shows a clearer polished shine

gleamy

vsgleaming

4.2

A smooth shiny surface that reflects light

is usually a bit stronger and more plainly polished

glistening

vsgleaming

3.4

Shining with bright light, often because it is wet or smooth

is steady and polished rather than showing wetlike reflections

glinting

vsgleaming

3.6

Shines with small bright flashes of light

is steady and even in shine rather than flashing

glistering

vsgleaming

Archaic

7.9

Shining with small bright points like light on water

is uniform in brightness rather than flashing vividly

Antonyms

dull

31 1.0

Not bright or shiny with weak colour

matte

2 3.5

Not shiny and showing little reflection

How Bright

dazzling

2 3.1

gleaming

3.2

shining

1 1.0

polished

26 2.1

dim

62 1.0

Surface Forms

gleaming positive

Morphology

gleaming = gleam (transparent) = gleam + ing

A standard participial adjective formed from the verb 'gleam' with the productive '-ing' suffix; the adjective meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Gleaming comes from the old word gleam, which meant 'to shine', so something gleaming is polished or shining with a steady, pleasing light.