glimmer

[glim-er]

noun

1. a faint or unsteady light; gleam.

2. a dim perception; inkling.

verb (used without object)

1. to shine faintly or unsteadily; twinkle, shimmer, or flicker.

2. to appear faintly or dimly.

glimmer

/ ˈɡlɪmə /

verb

1. (of a light, candle, etc) to glow faintly or flickeringly

2. to be indicated faintly

   hope glimmered in his face

noun

1. a glow or twinkle of light

2. a faint indication

Other Word Forms

• glimmeringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of glimmer¹

1300–50; Middle English glimeren “to gleam”; cognate with German glimmern; compare Old English gleomu “splendor”

Word History and Origins

Origin of glimmer¹

C14: compare Middle High German glimmern, Swedish glimra, Danish glimre

Synonym Study

See gleam.

Example Sentences

As artificial intelligence replaces entry-level jobs, California’s universities and community colleges are offering a glimmer of hope for students: free AI training that will help them master the new technology.

From Los Angeles Times

The afternoon sun glimmered off the ocean as I drove down MacArthur Boulevard in Newport Beach to fulfill a promise.

From Los Angeles Times

There was a glimmer of hope for MacIntyre when he moved to within a shot after the 12th, Scheffler missing a routine par putt.

From BBC

Amid the unhappiness left by the Alaska summit, there was one possible glimmer of good news for Ukraine.

From BBC

Their underside is often a lighter lavender to make them harder for sea predators to spot from below as they glimmer along with the sun on the ocean’s surface.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• flicker 
• gleam 
• glint 
• glow 
• hint 
• inkling 
• ray 
• twinkle