- present participle of glow.
glowing
Americanadjective
-
rich and warm in coloring.
glowing colors.
-
showing the radiance of health, excitement, etc..
glowing cheeks.
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warmly favorable or complimentary.
a glowing account of her work.
- Synonyms:
- unstinting, rapturous, enthusiastic, wholehearted, ardent
adjective
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emitting a steady bright light without flames
glowing embers
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warm and rich in colour
the room was decorated in glowing shades of gold and orange
-
flushed and rosy, as from exercise or excitement
glowing cheeks
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displaying or indicative of extreme satisfaction, pride, or emotion
he gave a glowing account of his son's achievements
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of glowing
before 1000; Middle English glowynge, Old English glowende. See glow, -ing 2
Explanation
If something is glowing, it's either lit up like a light or it's full of praise and enthusiasm. So, you could receive a glowing candle or a glowing report card. You choose. When a report or account is glowing, it's unreservedly positive, like a book critic's glowing review of a new mystery novel or your grandmother's glowing praise for the good job you did mowing her lawn. Glowing comes from glow, which can mean "a flush of radiant feeling," and which comes from the Old English glowan, "to glow or shine as if red-hot."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The series received glowing reviews for its hangout vibe and a lack of the global stakes that often burden Marvel projects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Shudu has a tall, lean figure and an immaculate, glowing complexion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Proponents offer sweeping claims about their benefits, ranging from glowing skin and muscle growth to brain health and wound healing.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Woodrow told the BBC that the "evening was perfect and incredible" with everyone involved "beaming and glowing", while "the whole place had such a positive atmosphere".
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
For as soon as she’d named the four realms, the glowing lights sprang to life.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
