Glisten
verb
Shine; to reflect light and look bright and attractive.
The morning dew glistened in the sunlight.
Often appears as...
- glisten in the sun
- glisten with sweat
verb
Appear or sound attractive or impressive but actually having no real substance or quality.
His glamorous lifestyle may glisten, but it's not all it seems.
Usage tips
Figurative
verb
Shine; to reflect light and look bright and attractive.
The morning dew glistened in the sunlight.
Often appears as...
- glisten in the sun
- glisten with sweat
verb
Appear or sound attractive or impressive but actually having no real substance or quality.
His glamorous lifestyle may glisten, but it's not all it seems.
Usage tips
Figurative
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Sensory Imagery
Use 'glisten' to create vivid imagery related to sight in descriptive writing.
The polished marble floor glistened under the chandelier’s light.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Glisten' often implies something positive, pure, clean, or beautiful.
Her radiant skin glistened after the spa treatment.
Pro Tip 3/3Natural Phenomena
Use 'glisten' for natural phenomena like dew, ice, or wet surfaces reflecting light.
After the rain, the leaves on the trees glistened.
Pro Tip 1/3Sensory Imagery
Use 'glisten' to create vivid imagery related to sight in descriptive writing.
The polished marble floor glistened under the chandelier’s light.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Glisten' often implies something positive, pure, clean, or beautiful.
Her radiant skin glistened after the spa treatment.
Pro Tip 3/3Natural Phenomena
Use 'glisten' for natural phenomena like dew, ice, or wet surfaces reflecting light.
After the rain, the leaves on the trees glistened.
Pro Tip 1/3Sensory Imagery
Use 'glisten' to create vivid imagery related to sight in descriptive writing.
The polished marble floor glistened under the chandelier’s light.
Pro Tip 2/3Positive Connotation
'Glisten' often implies something positive, pure, clean, or beautiful.
Her radiant skin glistened after the spa treatment.
Pro Tip 3/3Natural Phenomena
Use 'glisten' for natural phenomena like dew, ice, or wet surfaces reflecting light.
After the rain, the leaves on the trees glistened.
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Video examples
Safari Live - Day 69 PIPE...
guys at home can help me but I think small drunk beetle is small green dung beetle is what we are looking at it seems right cuz can't see the shovel on the head like they normally gets either way it's a beautiful creature it's an emerald emerald green color and when the Sun was shining on it it was glistening
Video examples
Penelope Boston: Life on...
that we find on the walls of these caves. So, these are signals that they leave in the rock record. Well, even in basalt surfaces in lava-tube caves, which are a by-product of volcanic activity, we find these walls totally covered, in many cases, by these beautiful, glistening silver walls,
Video examples
Rufus Griscom and Alisa...
And instead, when the baby was placed in my hands, it was an extraordinary moment. This picture is from literally a few seconds after the baby was placed in my hands and I brought him over. And you can see, our eyes were glistening. I was overwhelmed with love and affection for my wife,
Video examples
Legends of Kingfishers,...
has a drab selection of birds i mean there's some wonderful birds i'm not one of the little but um the kingfish is like a tropical bird because it's so bright and stunning kingfishers these bright blue birds change color in the light from an iridescent blue to a glistening
Video examples
Carol Beckwith & Angela...
across them they appeared almost as apparitions in the desert glistening from head to toe with red ochre makeup surrounded by the white sands of the desert they covered their bodies with red ochre not only to beautify themselves but to protect their skin
Video examples
BBC Earth Podcast:...
back it is like there's a little tiny forest glistening emerald green right at your fingertips with more stories from every corner of our wild world they were magical things that we could never possibly have encounters we'll take you
Video examples
This Platypus Can Glow...
yep i did on the isle of sheppy in kent i went out through a brick wall and i shot a thing called a black light torch which produces uv light and there on the wall glistening in the dark were hundreds of little scorpions
Video examples
The journey through loss...
the leaves piled high, the sun glistening in the early morning on our way to yoga. I would add that beauty is also there to discover, and I mean beauty of the wabi-sabi variety but beauty nonetheless.
Video examples
These Sticky Traps Are...
these dracera plants lure in their prey with a glistening dew-like substance on their leaves this substance gives these plants both their botanical name and their english common name sundews
Video examples
A Reading by J. Patrick...
red kite on a windy day watch the ice caps glisten with crystal magic here the desert whisper hush to eternity let the town leave a small basket of
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 69 PIPE...
guys at home can help me but I think small drunk beetle is small green dung beetle is what we are looking at it seems right cuz can't see the shovel on the head like they normally gets either way it's a beautiful creature it's an emerald emerald green color and when the Sun was shining on it it was glistening
Video examples
Penelope Boston: Life on...
that we find on the walls of these caves. So, these are signals that they leave in the rock record. Well, even in basalt surfaces in lava-tube caves, which are a by-product of volcanic activity, we find these walls totally covered, in many cases, by these beautiful, glistening silver walls,
Video examples
Rufus Griscom and Alisa...
And instead, when the baby was placed in my hands, it was an extraordinary moment. This picture is from literally a few seconds after the baby was placed in my hands and I brought him over. And you can see, our eyes were glistening. I was overwhelmed with love and affection for my wife,
Video examples
Legends of Kingfishers,...
has a drab selection of birds i mean there's some wonderful birds i'm not one of the little but um the kingfish is like a tropical bird because it's so bright and stunning kingfishers these bright blue birds change color in the light from an iridescent blue to a glistening
Video examples
Carol Beckwith & Angela...
across them they appeared almost as apparitions in the desert glistening from head to toe with red ochre makeup surrounded by the white sands of the desert they covered their bodies with red ochre not only to beautify themselves but to protect their skin
Video examples
BBC Earth Podcast:...
back it is like there's a little tiny forest glistening emerald green right at your fingertips with more stories from every corner of our wild world they were magical things that we could never possibly have encounters we'll take you
Video examples
This Platypus Can Glow...
yep i did on the isle of sheppy in kent i went out through a brick wall and i shot a thing called a black light torch which produces uv light and there on the wall glistening in the dark were hundreds of little scorpions
Video examples
The journey through loss...
the leaves piled high, the sun glistening in the early morning on our way to yoga. I would add that beauty is also there to discover, and I mean beauty of the wabi-sabi variety but beauty nonetheless.
Video examples
These Sticky Traps Are...
these dracera plants lure in their prey with a glistening dew-like substance on their leaves this substance gives these plants both their botanical name and their english common name sundews
Video examples
A Reading by J. Patrick...
red kite on a windy day watch the ice caps glisten with crystal magic here the desert whisper hush to eternity let the town leave a small basket of
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Ralph Bellamy
American Actor
When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains and the sea. He means that he loves an inner air, inner life in which freedom lives. In which a man can draw the breath of self-respect.
Quote examples
Laila Ali
American Athlete
By being an athlete, I have uncovered so many other ways to express my beauty. Being a strong, fearless woman makes me feel beautiful. I love the way I look and feel when I am two hours into my training and my skin is glistening with sweat and my clothes are drenched because I have given it all I've got.
Quote examples
Michael Mullen
American Admiral
Too often we just look at these glistening successes. Behind them in many, many cases is failure along the way, and that doesn't get put into the Wikipedia story or the bio. Yet those failures teach you every bit as much as the successes.
Quote examples
Steven Rattner
American Businessman
To be sure, India has achieved enviable success in business services, like the glistening call centers in Bangalore and elsewhere. But in the global jousting for manufacturing jobs, India does not get its share.
Quote examples
James Wolcott
American Critic
The advent of DVD/Blu-ray reissues of classic Hollywood and foreign films has been a boon to film buffs, who can now study their favorites in all their glistening detail and restored palettes.
Quote examples
Bryan Cranston
American Actor
The TV business is like the produce section of the market. Today everything is fresh and glistening and firm. And tomorrow, when they find a bruise on you, they toss you out.
Quote examples
Charlie Brooker
English Critic
Apple excels at taking existing concepts - computers, MP3 players, conceit - and carefully streamlining them into glistening ergonomic chunks of concentrated aspiration.
Quote examples
Cyril Connolly
English Journalist
Words today are like the shells and rope of seaweed which a child brings home glistening from the beach and which in an hour have lost their luster.
Quote examples
Mary H.K. Choi
South Korean Author
Food rules. Little rivals the pleasure of tearing into a glistening burger.
Quote examples
John Calvin
French Theologian
There is no work, however vile or sordid, that does not glisten before God.
Quote examples
Ralph Bellamy
American Actor
When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains and the sea. He means that he loves an inner air, inner life in which freedom lives. In which a man can draw the breath of self-respect.
Quote examples
Laila Ali
American Athlete
By being an athlete, I have uncovered so many other ways to express my beauty. Being a strong, fearless woman makes me feel beautiful. I love the way I look and feel when I am two hours into my training and my skin is glistening with sweat and my clothes are drenched because I have given it all I've got.
Quote examples
Michael Mullen
American Admiral
Too often we just look at these glistening successes. Behind them in many, many cases is failure along the way, and that doesn't get put into the Wikipedia story or the bio. Yet those failures teach you every bit as much as the successes.
Quote examples
Steven Rattner
American Businessman
To be sure, India has achieved enviable success in business services, like the glistening call centers in Bangalore and elsewhere. But in the global jousting for manufacturing jobs, India does not get its share.
Quote examples
James Wolcott
American Critic
The advent of DVD/Blu-ray reissues of classic Hollywood and foreign films has been a boon to film buffs, who can now study their favorites in all their glistening detail and restored palettes.
Quote examples
Bryan Cranston
American Actor
The TV business is like the produce section of the market. Today everything is fresh and glistening and firm. And tomorrow, when they find a bruise on you, they toss you out.
Quote examples
Charlie Brooker
English Critic
Apple excels at taking existing concepts - computers, MP3 players, conceit - and carefully streamlining them into glistening ergonomic chunks of concentrated aspiration.
Quote examples
Cyril Connolly
English Journalist
Words today are like the shells and rope of seaweed which a child brings home glistening from the beach and which in an hour have lost their luster.
Quote examples
Mary H.K. Choi
South Korean Author
Food rules. Little rivals the pleasure of tearing into a glistening burger.
Quote examples
John Calvin
French Theologian
There is no work, however vile or sordid, that does not glisten before God.
Example 1 of 10
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